One Night

I touch the paper, the indentations made by his use of my pen, and smile. His handwriting is as rangy and lively as he is, all loops and wayward slants and deep punctuation marks.

'Dr Moss

You must know how it goes in those rom-coms... The guy must leave the girl early, before she's woken up, and you've watched him watching her and willing her to wake up in time, but she doesn't, because that'd spoil the plot twists that'll keep you in the cinema for another fifty minutes. So he leaves her a note and tiptoes out of the bedroom. And you just know that feckin note's gonna go rogue - slipping off the pillow and under the bed or blowing out the window down to the street below.

Well - that's what I was thinking about this morning, after I'd watched you sleeping for a while. (And - no lie - I do have to be at work early, by way of my flat for fresh clothes.) I'd already worked out there was no way I could message you because we didn't exchange numbers last night, and I don't have a pen or any paper on me. Typical Millennial, so I am. And it didn't even cross my mind to buy any on my shopping expedition. Not so smart now, am I? Then I recalled the unholy mess you'd made of your table in The Ship, including - wouldn't you know it - a notebook and pen! I thought you'd forgive my invasion of your privacy if I used both, and in actuality, I found them just lying about here on the desk. Happy days.

So, Arella - this is my number and my email, with my permission to use both. As liberally as you like. Maybe next time you come up to visit your Ma, give me a heads-up? Even if it's just for dinner, because that was good craic in its own right. And because, light-hearted joking aside, I really like you.

Seaghan'

I stare at his name. It was never going to be the plain spelling, was it? Like him, it was bound to amount to more than just the obvious.

And then I read the letter again.

And then I finish my coffee, doing my best to stop a mad smile breaking out all over my face.

And then, of course, I text him.

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