Not quite the end

Leonora arrived home exhausted. The journey had been endless and Leonard's words were ringing in her ears.

"Believe me Leonora I've travelled on public transport with a broken leg and it is not an experience I would recommend," he had said.

She looked round the flat glumly. It was dusty. She didn't even want to go into the kitchen to find there was the usual array of tins and pasta in the store cupboard and some decidedly tired veg in the fridge. The fact that Mrs Leonard would not be dishing up the usual tasty scran for tea hit her hard.

Still, she had made her bed - or rather her train journey - and would have to lie in it. At which point, she thought going to lie down would be a very good idea. She wondered when the inevitable 'phone call would come from Leonard. Should she ignore it or answer it? She decided to take her mobile with her in case he did ring - and then she could decide then whether or not to answer.

She lay down, propping up the little crutches next to the bed. They were tired too and pleased that Leonora wanted to nap. They all went to sleep.

........................

Leonard had arrived back at the house as usual at lunchtime. When he opened the door Tata came to greet him. That was odd he thought, she didn't usually bother if she was playing tugs with Leonora.

"Grrr ruff ruff," barked Tata sadly.

"What?" said Leonard in disbelief.

"Grrr ruff ruff," repeated Tata.

"How do you mean she's gone? She agreed not to go. Do you mean gone as in gone?" asked Leonard incoherently. They both went slowly to Leonora's bedroom. Not a trace of her, not even a note.

"Ruff, ruff," pleaded Tata.

"How am I supposed to get her back? I did that the first time she stormed off, I don't feel like asking her again."

"Ruff," sulked Tata and stalked off haughtily. She was annoyed anyway that she had demeaned herself by entering into an alliance with the little crutches and they had deceitfully cleared off with Leonora in search of excitement elsewhere.

Leonard sighed and went into the kitchen. There in front of the biscuit tin - very funny Leonora - was the briefest of notes. Leonard was not pleased. He thought about ringing her. He thought about emailing her. But he did neither. Perhaps she would change her mind and return anyway.

He made some toast miserably and had a cup of tea, and then stood outside with his tab watching Tata, who was still sulking at him. Then they went inside, and he said "See you later Tata, I'm off back to work."

His colleagues in the office seemed to be particularly stupid that afternoon, especially Brigitte, who was never very bright on the best of days. He tried his best not to snap at people when they asked him stupid questions.

He spent most of the afternoon brooding about Leonora's abrupt departure. It was very churlish of her not to say goodbye. And he was sick of her brattish behaviour. Maybe he could have fish or meat for tea tonight now that the compulsory vegetarian regime was over. He cheered up slightly.

Then he thought there would be nothing in the house except for boring old vegetarian food. He wondered if he should ring Mrs Leonard and tell her that Leonora had gone and ask her to call at the shops for some dead animals, as Leonora insisted on calling them. He knew the response though. Why was he thinking about his stomach before poor Leonora's well-being? He took his hand away from the 'phone.

.....................

Leonora woke up after a couple of hours. She looked at her mobile. No messages received. No missed calls. Stupid Leonard, he's probably forgotten my number as usual. She picked up the little crutches and they went into the sitting room to check the main 'phone. No messages. No missed calls. She opened up the computer to check for emails. A load in which she wasn't interested and nothing from Leonard. He couldn't possibly have missed her note by the biscuit tin, and anyway Tata would have told him. Horrid Leonard, he didn't care about her at all.

She didn't feel like cooking and she wasn't really hungry. She decided to lie on the sofa with a book for a while, and then go back to bed. Tomorrow would be another day.

..............................

Mrs Leonard came in from work.

"Leonora's gone," announced Leonard.

"Oh Leonard, that's all your fault. Why did you keep upsetting her?" she said.

That's right. My fault as usual that Leonora behaves like a spoilt five-year-old and clears off without saying goodbye.

"What has she said?" continued Mrs Leonard.

"Not much, she just left a brief note," he replied.

"I mean what did she say when you spoke to her?" she asked.

"I haven't spoken to her, she had gone by the time I got in for lunch," he said.

"But surely you've rung her. Haven't you?" said Mrs Leonard.

"Oh really Leonard, no wonder the poor girl felt she was unwanted. You are always so rude to her. Go and ring her."

"Not tonight, I don't feel like it, and I don't want to argue with her. She'll probably be asleep too after the long tiring journey and the last thing she would want would be me waking her up," he said, pleased with that.

"Ring her tomorrow then," said Mrs Leonard.

Leonard wondered why Mrs Leonard couldn't ring seeing as she seemed to get on so well with Leonora. Maybe better not to suggest that though.

"What's for tea?" he said brightly.

"I was going to do vegetarian risotto for Leonora, so we might as well have that anyway," she said, and walked off into the kitchen to start preparing it, with Tata naturally following as usual.

Vegetarian risotto? What a shit day it had turned out to be.