"Move your feet Lee, can't you see I'm trying to vacuum".
"I'm concentrating on my game, not that I can hear it", he huffed as he swung his legs out of Lucy's way, putting them up on the sofa where he was lounging.
"Can't you get off that PlayStation for a minute and help me with the housework?".
"I took the recycling down to the bins didn't I?"
"Yes, but now you're just getting in my way".
"Well, I'm sorry for...existing".
"I don't mind you existing Lee, I just mind you existing right here while I'm trying to vacuum. Why don't go and do the food shopping? The list's on the fridge".
"Alright, I'll go and do that, I get the hint".
"That wasn't a hint, I asked you directly. The hint was earlier when I said the fridge was looking a bit bare and maybe one of us needed to go to the supermarket later. I thought you might have offered then".
"I'm going, stop moaning. Can I have some money for your half?"
"No, you can pay this time, you can take it out of the rent you still owe"
"Fine. Any special requests?"
"Yes, ask them if they've got any job vacancies".
"I thought you liked working in recruitment".
"Very funny".
"Well you can't be talking about me because I've already got a job".
"You haven't done any deliveries for weeks now".
"Well, people aren't buying anything. They're all still skint after Christmas. I've got the handyman thing".
"Just because you've put a card up in the newsagent offering handyman services doesn't mean that's your job now".
"I've had a couple of call outs".
"You mean that man who wanted you to break into his ex girlfriend's house so he could get his porn collection back?".
"I didn't do it".
"I should think not. Or do you mean the call from that woman who got invited you round to her bungalow on the false pretences that she wanted shelves putting up then offered you £50 for sex?"
"Yeah, well, I'm sure I'll get some genuine calls soon".
"How come you didn't deny doing the second one?"
"Of course I didn't, I'm still offended by the offer actually. £50?"
"I still think she was being generous".
"Yeah well, you wouldn't know would you? Don't knock it 'til you've tried it".
"How much do you think you're worth then?"
"Nothing".
"You're giving it away now?
"No, this body isn't for sale".
"Glad to hear it. Anyway, Aubergines".
"That's what comes into your head when I mention my body? Your mind's clearly in the gutter".
"No, I forgot to write Aubergines on the shopping list. You asked me if I had any special requests, from the supermarket".
"Right, aubergines. I'm off then".
"Okay, bye".
...
30 minutes later...
"Why do you always forget to take your keys!", Lucy shouted after she heard the doorbell ring. She opened the door, still wearing rubber gloves. She was about to clean the bathroom.
The person standing there when she opened the door was not who she expected.
"Kate?".
"The very same, long time no see, Tim's little sister".
Lucy looked Kate up and down. She hadn't changed much, except maybe gaining a curve here or there, a line or two. She was still as pretty as ever.
"What are you doing here? Isn't it about ten years since you left never to be seen again...well until now?"
"Six years, near enough. I was in London, thought I should catch up with an old friend".
"Are you talking about Tim or Lee? Because Tim lives in Germany at the moment".
"That's shame. It would have been nice to say hi to Tim. Although it was Lee I was actually hoping to see today".
Lucy's heart sank unexpectedly. For some reason, the thought of Kate being reunited with Lee was very unsettling.
"I didn't realise you lived here. Does Lee not live here anymore?"
"He does, we both do".
"Oh...are you and Lee a couple now? Of all the people, I never thought he'd end up with Tim's little sister".
"You remember my name is Lucy right?"
"Yeah, sorry, about that. I just always think of you as Tim's little sister".
"We're not a couple, we're flat mates...friends".
"Ah. Yeah, maybe you're not really his type".
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Lucy felt outraged. Why did Kate think that she wasn't Lee's type? Was she right? Maybe she was, and that's why despite giving her the impression he liked her Lee had never made a move.
"I dunno, you always just seemed a bit...prissy".
"Wow Kate, you never did like me did you?"
"I never said that. I always liked you Lucy, in a my boyfriend's sweet little sister way. Sorry, I shouldn't have said prissy, I just meant...you know, not rough enough around the edges for him".
"You don't really know me. Anyway, he liked you and I wouldn't call you rough around the edges. How do you even know Lee has a type? He might have changed anyway, you haven't seen him for years. Anyhow, what's important is he's not really...available".
Lucy wasn't even sure why those words came out of her mouth.
"Oh, so he's in a relationship then?"
Lucy was sure Kate's face had visibly fallen just then, and this made her feel as though she'd started winning a battle which probably only existed in her mind.
Lucy scolded herself then. It wasn't like her to feel like this. She told herself she didn't have the right to feel this sudden vitriol towards Kate, or feel so threatened by her. After all, it wasn't like her and Lee were actually a couple. Yes they did nearly everything together these days, and everyone they met assumed they were a couple, but the fact was they weren't. Deep down though Lucy desperately wished they were.
"No, not really. It's complicated. Look, when I first met Lee he was actually quite lonely, it took him a while to admit it but he was pining for you. When you left it I'm pretty sure it broke his heart".
"I'm sorry about that".
Kate looked genuinely sad, and Lucy didn't know whether to feel sorry for her or even more threatened.
"It's not me you need to apologise to. Look, I don't know what your intentions are, but I don't want Lee to get hurt. Just, be kind to him that's all".
Lucy told herself she needed to be rational about this. Lee and Kate were never a couple. Lee may have loved Kate, and she may have loved him too, but they had never told each other, they'd missed their chance. Kate had lost her right to be with Lee the second she decided to leave London. Hadn't she? She wouldn't come back into his life after all this time and expect to continue where they left off, surely?
"He means a lot to you do doesn't he?"
"Maybe he does, though it's nothing to do with you. He's a friend. A good friend".
For a while now Lucy had held onto the hope that her relationship with Lee might be moving towards something more than friendship, admittedly at a snails pace. Still, even though she now fully understood her feelings for Lee, she wasn't ready to voice them yet. Even if she had been ready admit her feelings for Lee to anyone else, that person would certainly not have been Kate.
"I just want to catch up with him, I don't have an ulterior motive. Is he in?"
Kate was not convinced that Lucy saw Lee as only a good friend.
"No, he's out food shopping".
"You trust him to do that? Won't he just come back with four packets of pop tarts, six pot noodles and a crate of beer? That's what he did when we lived together".
"I give him a list. Usually he sticks to it".
"You've got him better trained than I did then".
"Well, I've had longer to work on him".
"Yeah I suppose you have. Can I come in and wait?"
"Actually I'm quite busy, so if you just wanted to leave your number I can pass it on to Lee and ask him to call you, if he wants. He may prefer to leave the past where it belongs".
"How do I know you'll give it to him? You seem quite..."
"Quite what? You can't just swan back in here after six years and just start where you left off with him. People change, move on".
"I realise he's probably moved on. I just think Lee should be the one to tell me to go and take a hike, if that's what he wants".
"I didn't tell you to bugger off back to America, I just said I'd pass your number on".
"Kate?"
They both turned round as they heard Lee's voice. Neither had heard the door open. He was now stood, frozen to the spot, just inside the front door.
"Hey my lil northern friend".
Kate bounded up to Lee and went to hug him, her attempt thwarted by the shopping bags he was holding forming a barrier around him.
"Hi...my little wheatgrass loving Californian friend".
There were several, uncomfortable seconds of silence then, as he just stared at her.
Lee didn't know really how to react, Kate turning up like this was so expected. She was standing there, a living, breathing memento to feelings he had consigned to the archives of his mind a long time ago. His gaze moved from Kate to Lucy, and and he observed the expression on her face. He'd only seen that look on her face once or twice before, when he was seeing Rachel the psychopath. Was it jealousy? No, why would it be? He didn't think she felt that way about him, he couldn't be that lucky. He turned to Kate again, and felt discombobulated, like his old life and his new life were colliding in front of his eyes. Kate represented the life he had before Lucy. BL. That's how he saw his life now, though this may have been the first time he realised it.
"What are you doing here? Six years, and not a single phone call or text".
He remembered how hurt he was that morning he'd got up to find Kate had left only leaving him a scribbled note.
Lucy's heart sank. Lee remembered exactly how much time had passed since Kate left. Perhaps he still thought about her, perhaps he still missed her every day. He never talked about her any more though.
"My sister has moved to London, I'm visiting her. Thought it would be nice to catch up with old friends while I'm here".
"No word from you in six years, you didn't even answer my texts. How do you think that made me feel?"
"I'm so sorry, but I had my reasons. I've got somewhere to be shortly but come out for dinner with me tonight and I'll explain".
"I don't know".
"Think about it, I'll be at La Casa Nostra on Lincoln Lane at 8pm. If you want to meet up, I'll see you there. I really hope you do, I've missed you. Bye both".
With that Kate was gone again, and Lee closed the door behind her. He put the shopping bags down on the floor and sat down on the sofa, head in hands, a little dazed. He felt Lucy's presence as she sat down next to him.
"Are you going to go then?"
"Do you think I should?"
"It's not up to me".
A large part of Lucy really hoped he decided not to go. But what if he didn't, then regretted it. Perhaps he needed closure. Then again, what if the minute she got him alone Kate would tell him she'd been in love with him all these years and had come back to be with him. What if Lee still had feelings for her and she was about to lose him?
"I don't know if it's a good idea or not. I suppose I'd like to know why she left and never returned my calls. She said she'd explain".
"Sounds like you've made up your mind. You're going to go?"
Lucy was sure she had done a very bad job of hiding her disappointment just then.
"Maybe. I suppose so, probably. Why did she have to turn up again, now?"
Lucy wasn't sure what was so significant about 'now'. She hoped he meant now that I've fallen deeply in love with my landlady, but that was probably wishful thinking.
"Are you happy to see her again? I know she means a lot to you".
"Meant. How would you feel if Guy suddenly turned up here after all these years?"
"That's different. Guy was my boyfriend, and he was a controlling bastard. Kate was never your girlfriend was she?"
"No, but..."
"But what?"
"Nothing".
"Look, when I first moved in with you, you told me how upset you were when she left. I know you were close".
"Were being the operative word there. We haven't seen each other for six years, it might be awkward. I don't know her anymore".
"Then don't go".
Lucy scolded herself for being so unsubtle.
"I think I should, she's made the effort to come and seek me out, it would be unkind to just brush her off".
"Yeah well, some would say it was unkind to ghost you all those years ago".
"Ghost me?"
"Yes, disappear out of your life without word and never contact you again".
"She did leave a note, not that it explained anything. You don't like Kate, do you?"
"I didn't say that".
"I'm picking up a strong vibe".
"Well, and her never really got on. I was always just Tim's silly little sister to her. She still calls me Tim's little sister you know".
"You don't want me to see her, do you?"
"Like I said before, it's not up to me. You do what you want".
Lee noted that Lucy hadn't denied that didn't want him to see Kate. She did almost seem jealous, though he didn't see why. Lucy couldn't really like him in that way, could she? Perhaps she was just worried about him getting hurt.
"I'm going to go, I think I have to go. Is La Casa Nostra posh?"
"No, it's one of those family run Italian places, quite informal. You'll fit in, I won't be like that place Rachel took you".
"Good. I hate posh restaurants".
"I know. You're the only person I know who thinks McDonalds is an acceptable restaurant to take a date".
"I've never taken a woman to McDonalds, Pizza Hut I admit. Anyway, this isn't a date. It's a catch up with an old friend. It's my chance to get answers".
This made Lucy feel a little better. Perhaps Lee really wasn't interested in Kate anymore.