“The ‘L’ word aye? Hmm. Well. Did you mean it?”“Of course I meant it.” I said.“That’s a bit serious.” Gladys said, “What with the ...age gap and all. You Americans, always just coming out with things. What are you going to do?”“I don’t know.” I said; “As long as I can be here and help out, it’s good enough for me.”“You say that,” Ava broke in, “But you’re a young lad and you have needs I can’t meet.”“That’s not true.” I countered.“You’re not a young lad?”“Yes, sure, but you can meet my needs just. "Who would have thought there could be a creature such as you..." 'Jeannie' popped in a powerful electric fan to help the set of female fanners Roger had cooling him. "It's a good thing I wished that you had to protect me," Roger said. "YAAA!!!" 'Jeannie cried, nearly jumping out of the strange skin he was in. "Do you *have t o keep doing that?!" Roger said, reacting with nearly as much of a start. 'Jeannie' turned on the man behind him. "That isn't *you*!?!!" he cried, pointing behind. I gritted my teeth, bracing for the sting of pain, but it never came. Exampla kept the cigarette close, seeming to enjoy how nervous she was making me.“And... ? What have you been drawing instead?”“P-Pictures of you.”She leaned down and pursed her lips, planting a kiss in the nape of my neck. It was soft and tender, contrasting with her cruel demeanor. I flinched all the same, not knowing whether I should expect leniency or retribution. I never knew what was going through her head, she was. I let myself into the apartment and immediately the cold hit me. “Shit” I thought as I realised my heating was definitely not working. I went to the boiler which was silent and had no idea what to do. I knew I couldn’t afford to call a service engineer and stood there wondering what the hell to do. After the day I’d had it was just the final straw. I heard the sound of a key in a lock then sound of a door shutting. “I wonder” I thought to myself as I crossed the landing and knocked on.