phone back—’
‘No, it’s fine. Is everything all right?’
Lou badly needs to talk to someone. She’s had a dreadful night, jerking awake at intervals, expecting to hear Sofia stumbling round the room: drunk, but home. Yet there’s still no
sign of her.
‘It’s Sofia.’
A rustling of sheets as Anna sits up. ‘Has something happened?’
‘I don’t know. She didn’t come back last night.’
‘Oh Lord. Do you know where she went?’
Lou has imagined all sorts, but she decides to stick with the facts. ‘She texted to say she was going into London with her colleagues. It was someone’s leaving do.’
‘I see . . . And she didn’t come home?’
‘No.’
A pause, then, ‘I wouldn’t worry too much, not yet. She probably got drunk or something, crashed at a friend’s. Was it a good mate who was leaving?’
‘Not as far as I know.’
‘I presume you tried calling her?’
‘It goes straight to answerphone.’
‘Maybe it’s run out of juice.’
‘I guess, but she could have borrowed someone else’s to let me know she was staying in town, don’t you think? I’ve been worried sick.’
‘Mm, she must have known you’d be anxious, and she isn’t normally that thoughtless. What are her colleagues like?’
‘I don’t really know them, though they seem a nice enough bunch. They’re fairly tame, most of them, from what I gather. They all live in London though, other than Sofia.’
Lou endeavours to control her panic. ‘I’m sure something has happened.’
‘It does sound a bit strange for her not to have got herself home. Maybe she just lost track of time. Has she ever done this before?’
‘Stayed out all night, you mean? No. Although . . . ’ Should Lou confess this? It seems unfair to interrupt her friend’s Saturday lie-in and not tell her the truth. ‘She
has been a bit distant lately.’
‘Really? Why’s that?’
‘I guess . . . Oh, I don’t know. This operation . . . Though maybe I’m being unreasonable.’
‘Tell me.’
‘It seemed to freak her out rather – so she’s not been quite as supportive as I thought she would be.’
‘Oh dear, Lou, I’m sorry. I had no idea.’
‘It’s not your responsibility.’
‘No, but, well, I’d have been more hands-on myself, if I’d known. You’ve always been there for me.’
‘I didn’t want to make a fuss.’
‘So in what way wasn’t she supportive?’
‘It’s hard to describe . . . ’ Lou is torn between wanting to share her fears and loyalty to her girlfriend. ‘I hoped she’d take more time off work to be with me,
perhaps.’
Anna harrumphs.
‘Well, no, she did . . . She collected me from the hospital.’
‘So I should hope!’
‘And she took the rest of that day off.’
‘Big deal! It’s a major operation you’ve just had.’
‘She is pretty busy at the office.’
‘I think that’s pathetic, if you want my opinion. God knows, you’re hardly demanding. If I was in your position, well, she’d never have heard the end of it. But
you’re so good at caring for yourself – you never ask for people to look after you.’
Though she knows Anna means well, this isn’t entirely helping. ‘I’d feel so much better if I only knew where she is ,’ says Lou. She pictures where Sofia might have
stayed, and with whom, and shudders. ‘I think you’re probably right; she’s got drunk.’ She hesitates, then admits, ‘I guess she might be having some sort of wobble
about us.’
‘She doesn’t know how lucky she is!’
Lou laughs.
‘Look, I don’t think you should just sit there, waiting for her to come home. Unless you really believe she might be in some kind of trouble?’
‘No.’ Given Sofia’s recent behaviour, the evidence suggests she is not in actual danger.
‘Why don’t you come round here for coffee?’
‘Erm, that would be nice, but—’
‘Oh no, of course, you’re recuperating – how thoughtless of me. Do you want me to come to you?’
‘Don’t
‘No, it’s fine. Is everything all right?’
Lou badly needs to talk to someone. She’s had a dreadful night, jerking awake at intervals, expecting to hear Sofia stumbling round the room: drunk, but home. Yet there’s still no
sign of her.
‘It’s Sofia.’
A rustling of sheets as Anna sits up. ‘Has something happened?’
‘I don’t know. She didn’t come back last night.’
‘Oh Lord. Do you know where she went?’
Lou has imagined all sorts, but she decides to stick with the facts. ‘She texted to say she was going into London with her colleagues. It was someone’s leaving do.’
‘I see . . . And she didn’t come home?’
‘No.’
A pause, then, ‘I wouldn’t worry too much, not yet. She probably got drunk or something, crashed at a friend’s. Was it a good mate who was leaving?’
‘Not as far as I know.’
‘I presume you tried calling her?’
‘It goes straight to answerphone.’
‘Maybe it’s run out of juice.’
‘I guess, but she could have borrowed someone else’s to let me know she was staying in town, don’t you think? I’ve been worried sick.’
‘Mm, she must have known you’d be anxious, and she isn’t normally that thoughtless. What are her colleagues like?’
‘I don’t really know them, though they seem a nice enough bunch. They’re fairly tame, most of them, from what I gather. They all live in London though, other than Sofia.’
Lou endeavours to control her panic. ‘I’m sure something has happened.’
‘It does sound a bit strange for her not to have got herself home. Maybe she just lost track of time. Has she ever done this before?’
‘Stayed out all night, you mean? No. Although . . . ’ Should Lou confess this? It seems unfair to interrupt her friend’s Saturday lie-in and not tell her the truth. ‘She
has been a bit distant lately.’
‘Really? Why’s that?’
‘I guess . . . Oh, I don’t know. This operation . . . Though maybe I’m being unreasonable.’
‘Tell me.’
‘It seemed to freak her out rather – so she’s not been quite as supportive as I thought she would be.’
‘Oh dear, Lou, I’m sorry. I had no idea.’
‘It’s not your responsibility.’
‘No, but, well, I’d have been more hands-on myself, if I’d known. You’ve always been there for me.’
‘I didn’t want to make a fuss.’
‘So in what way wasn’t she supportive?’
‘It’s hard to describe . . . ’ Lou is torn between wanting to share her fears and loyalty to her girlfriend. ‘I hoped she’d take more time off work to be with me,
perhaps.’
Anna harrumphs.
‘Well, no, she did . . . She collected me from the hospital.’
‘So I should hope!’
‘And she took the rest of that day off.’
‘Big deal! It’s a major operation you’ve just had.’
‘She is pretty busy at the office.’
‘I think that’s pathetic, if you want my opinion. God knows, you’re hardly demanding. If I was in your position, well, she’d never have heard the end of it. But
you’re so good at caring for yourself – you never ask for people to look after you.’
Though she knows Anna means well, this isn’t entirely helping. ‘I’d feel so much better if I only knew where she is ,’ says Lou. She pictures where Sofia might have
stayed, and with whom, and shudders. ‘I think you’re probably right; she’s got drunk.’ She hesitates, then admits, ‘I guess she might be having some sort of wobble
about us.’
‘She doesn’t know how lucky she is!’
Lou laughs.
‘Look, I don’t think you should just sit there, waiting for her to come home. Unless you really believe she might be in some kind of trouble?’
‘No.’ Given Sofia’s recent behaviour, the evidence suggests she is not in actual danger.
‘Why don’t you come round here for coffee?’
‘Erm, that would be nice, but—’
‘Oh no, of course, you’re recuperating – how thoughtless of me. Do you want me to come to you?’
‘Don’t
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