Page 80 of Endgame

And that’s the call. That I’ve lasted this long is beyond belief. I follow her lead to create the movements that she needs and, the second she collapses, I hug her close and finally release.

‘Welcome home. I really missed you,’ she says softly before she wraps her arms round my neck and places her head on my shoulder like she never wants to let go.

We spend Saturday moving me in. It’s not difficult. I’ve been using the apartment like a hotel, so, apart from my washbag, my Mac and the mountain of clothes Eden filled my wardrobe with, there was nothing else. As I put my clothes away in her walk-in wardrobe, Ariella attempts a nasi lemak in the kitchen. It’s delicious, despite her concerns that she hasn’t got the sambal quite right. Knowing her, I’m willing to bet that there are at least six other sample-sized variations neatly labelled and stacked in the fridge.

After dinner, we drag the couch blanket from home onto her sofa and watch her new favourite character, Shane, threaten to empty bullets into the zombies that emerge from Hershel’s barn inThe Walking Dead. When I look at her to speculate about Carol’s daughter, she’s asleep, and I know that we have found our home with each other again.

‘I’m not sure about this guy.’ I’m lying on the couch looking at job applications with my head on Ariella’s lap.

‘Let me see?’ She stops running her fingers through my hair and takes the sheet from me.

‘Noooo…’ I complain. ‘Keep going. It’s soothing.’

‘I only have two hands, Caleb, and the other has a pencil in it. I’ll be quick.’

‘You better, or I’m going to start looking for places to tickle you.’ I poke her ribs gently and she jumps. ‘So, what do you think?’

She takes her time reading through. ‘Give him a chance. His application may not be exactly what you’re looking for, but he could be hungry for it, and that rarely shows up on paper.’

She hands the sheet over and bends to give me a quick kiss on my puckered lips before returning to playing with my hair.

‘I’ll keep him. That’s me done. What are you working on?’

‘Homework for MsPat. We’re off to the market again tomorrow. I might try chilli crab next. I’ve found a recipe that breaks every single item down and it’s a long list. Once I’ve learned how to cook the authentic recipe, I’m really tempted to get rid of some bits and swap in some scandalous ingredients for fun. I’m going to need to learn how to deshell crab in a way that keeps the jumbo pieces together so that it’s easier to eat.’

Ariella glows when she is talking and thinking about food. I’m happy that she has started experimenting with it again. It’stoo soon to revisit the ‘after Singapore’ plan but, if she decides to leave Ivory Bow, the natural progression would be for her to work with food in some way.

‘Nice. I might tag along tomorrow.’

‘You can’t. Dominic is sending an advocate over after work to walk you through questions you may be asked by the police about Melissa.’

‘I saw that. Do I really need someone to prepare me?’

‘Yes, it’s good practice to ensure that you don’t drop any hints about her previous shenanigans with us. You’re with the police on Tuesday morning, so you need some preparation.’

‘I don’t needhishelp.’

‘It isn’t his help. The company is doing this to protect its employees. Please can you just sit through it and retain whatever you may find useful?’

She sounds a little exasperated, so I leave it, get up from the couch and try to make amends.

‘Fine. I’ll behave. So, fancy cheese on toast for dinner?’

Her eyes immediately light up. She loves my cheese on toast.

‘Is that what’s in the bag in the fridge marked “Caleb”?’

‘You didn’t look?’

‘No. MsPat told me not to.’

This is one of the things I love about my girlfriend. She can be so sweet. I’d have found a way to open, take a peek and reseal the bag without leaving any evidence.

‘Yes. And a couple of other things. Now that you’re going to be cooking again, I know there will be some nights that you’ll be knackered or won’t feel like it and MsPat has gone home for the day, so I thought I’d get some basics in so that I can quickly rustle something up for you.’

I’m unprepared for the force with which Ariella hugs me. I know what you’re thinking. Do I really deserve relationship-affirming hugs for doing the bare minimum like making sure shedoesn’t starve? Probably not, but I don’t make the rules. I’m just a grateful beneficiary who got bloody lucky, and I feel like now is a good time to bring up the shift that’s about to occur in our relationship.

‘So, I spoke to Honey while I was away,’ I start, tentatively. ‘We’ve come up with a plan to break up publicly.’

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