The first day of spring. Ada sighed happily as she brewed a teapot and wandered over to the balcony. She had to wait until past noon for it to catch the light but it was delightful to sit out for drinks and nibbles after work. If she still smoked, she would have done so. Sometimes she missed smoking. That's why she'd enrolled in various courses to keep her boredom at bay. She thought that her chosen profession would keep her hands busy enough not to indulge but it didn't always work. She added a cube of sugar and took her tray to the table. The morning was overcast but the stirrings of warmth were peeking through.
Movement from next door caught her eye. Her neighbour did not favour the balcony in the morning. They'd lived alongside each other for four years and Ada still didn't know what she did for a living. All that she knew was that her name was Hecate and her tea of choice was black. They'd exchanged polite greetings most days and helped each other with their groceries up to their doors on occasion but that had been it. Dimity had peered at the balcony to the left and wondered out loud if Hecate had the ability to turn into a bat and that's why she was so rarely seen. Ada had shushed her, felt guilty for laughing. She wanted to keep on good terms with her nearest neighbour even if she didn't get to see her very often.