A week later the taller young man had another work trip. He stayed at the girl’s house as it was closer to the airport. His alarm clock went off five times, and the girl was fully awake by the time he got up and went for a shower. She sat up in bed and listened to the water. It made a different sound as the young man moved round the tub. He came out fifteen minutes later with a towel wrapped around his waist and a finger in his ear. He unhooked the towel and put it over his hair.
       ‘Stop looking at me,’ he said after catching the girl looking at him in the mirror.
       ‘Sorry,’ she said, and looked out of the window. Even though it was early, the sun was high up in the sky and the room felt hot. She pushed the covers off and stood up. She went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. The young man put the hair dryer on.
       ‘Where’s he gone this time?’ someone at work asked her as she unfolded clothes and put them on hangers.
       ‘France,’ the girl said.
       ‘Don’t you get sick of him going away all the time?’
       The girl hesitated for a second then said, ‘No.’
       ‘I would. I’d always wonder where he was, and who with.’
       The girl didn’t say anything. She unfolded another dress and hung it up.
       ‘You must really trust him.’
       ‘Mmm.’ The girl smiled, then looked at her watch. ‘It’s time for my break,’ she said, then went upstairs to the staffroom.
       Just before closing the girl had to deal with a complaint. The manager had gone home early. It put her in a bad mood and she decided she needed a drink. She rang the shorter of the young men and asked if he wanted to meet her.
       ‘Alright then,’ he said. ‘But I can’t stay long. I’m going out with the Russian again.’
       They shared a bottle of wine and she told him about the annoying customer.
       ‘I’ve been looking at spreadsheets all day,’ he replied.
       The girl smiled and poured the rest of the wine into their glasses, dividing it equally.
       ‘So tell me more about this Russian,’ she said.
       ‘She’s alright. Pretty. But a bit too unhinged for my liking.’
The girl nodded. She didn’t really want to hear more than that but he carried on.
       ‘I like her, but I’m not sure I’m ready to go out with someone who obviously needs a lot of support. You know? I think she’d get needy.’
       The girl nodded, and took a big sip of her wine.
       ‘Anyway, how’s he getting on in France? You heard off him yet?’
       ‘He texted me today. Said the weather’s really nice.’
       ‘Lucky for some.’
       The girl nodded and finished what was left in her glass. ‘Shall we get another bottle?’
       The young man looked at his watch, then said, ‘Alright then. But we’ll have to drink it quick.’

5

  

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