During dinner I alternated between being marvelled and shocked by Eleanor and Lucy’s conversation. I had never witnessed such openness between members of the same family. I certainly didn’t have to worry about Lucy being even remotely homophobic, the way she almost applauded her aunt’s sexual inclination. Or maybe she was just trying really hard because I was sharing the table with them. I learnt one thing though, Lucy Rowe, my boss, was one mysterious woman. What was she doing having dinner with her aunt − and one of her co-workers − on a Saturday night? Shouldn’t she be on a date? Or meeting some friends for drinks? I wanted to ask her but, you know, she was my boss. When, after dinner, she didn’t give any indication she was about to leave and surrender herself to the London nightlife, I opened another bottle of wine and prepared myself to cross-examine her. I was pretty sure I could drink her under the table, but first I needed some liquid courage myself.

Lucy was not the first thing on my mind though. I was expecting a call from Jennifer, and my phone was burning a hole in my pocket. If only it would ring. My Jennifer-related insecurities did cause me to indulge in the wine more enthusiastically than usual, and soon I subjected Lucy to a mild interrogation.
“No wild Saturday night plans then, boss?”
“Please, in this house I’m not your boss.”
“What are you then? I mean, it’s a bit hard for me to make the distinction.”
“I’m Lucy, a relative of your friend and landlady Eleanor.”
“But don’t you ever dare call me that,” Eleanor chimed in.
“This family is so schizophrenic. I work for Lucy, but I can’t call her boss, and you, Eleanor, are the owner of the house in which I rent a room, but you are not my landlady. You need to give me some time to adjust.”
“Take all the time you want, dear,” Eleanor said, “I have to dash.”
“Saturday evening bridge game at Peggy’s?” Lucy asked. Eleanor nodded.
“You will soon find out this old bird is always out and about somewhere,” Lucy said to me. “Her social calendar is much better filled than mine.”
“Well, look at me, this is the prime time of my life. Would you rather I wasted it on this sofa and that TV set over there?” Eleanor gave us twirl and ran her hand through her shoulder-length grey hair. “We can’t all be socially awkward like you, my dear little niece.”
Lucy didn’t seem at all offended by this remark. This was how they spoke to each other. “Yes yes, you dazzling old-timer, get out of here and take some of those old ladies’ money.”

When Eleanor had left, Lucy asked, “What about you, Lee? Don’t you have plans?”
“I do, Jennifer is supposed to call me.” I slipped my phone out of my jeans pocket. It was switched on and it had plenty of battery life left. It still didn’t ring. I didn’t want to confide too much of my dramatic love life to my boss though. And one therapy session per Saturday was enough. Eleanor’s words still rang very clear in my head, This cannot end well. I was desperate to prove her wrong. What did she know anyway? And what was keeping Jennifer so long? “But she’s a bit busy, catching up on paper work.”
“It’s not easy being the boss, is it?”
“Don’t ask me, Lucy.” I put enough emphasis on Lucy’s name to let her know I was mocking her. “Do you want another glass of wine?”

To be continued…