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‘I’vejust been talking with Hetti’

‘So I saw’

She pursed her lips ‘Did you ask her to stall me?’

If only she wasn’t willing hi, slow ache started up inside her all over again

‘I did not But I did just receive a call fro that she needed me down on this floor’

So Tak hadn’t actually been looking for her They’d ain, Tak had co or a bad one?

Effie was sure her sto the way it was

‘You didn’t leave a patient?’ she asked feebly

He eyed her disdainfully ‘Of course not’

‘No,’ she cut in hastily ‘Foolish question’

They stood, the silence stretching uncomfortably between the—to say

‘What about the boiler?’ He finally broke the silence ‘Did your landlord send so?’

She hesitated as a hundred different thoughts raced through her head It was barely a beat but it seee, and when she finally spoke her voice was strangled ‘It’s in hand’

‘It isn’t fixed?’ he said sharply

Another beat