Tata's solution

Leonard sent his email to Leonora just before he went to bed. He enclosed loads of photos and told her how much Tata was missing her. He nearly wrote that she was pining away but Leonora was prone to seeing through such exaggerated comments.

Leonora was sure to read it first thing and send him a reply to work. But nothing came. By lunchtime Leonard was feeling decidedly gloomy. He couldn't decide which was worse, a snotty email from Leonora, or no email at all. And how was he going to break the news to Tata? She would be distraught. Well, maybe not distraught but pretty put out.

He opened the front door and Tata came bounding up to greet him as usual, wagging her tail and smiling at him.

"Ruff, ruff?" she barked.

"No. I've not heard from her at all," said Leonard sadly.

"Ruff?" barked Tata in disbelief, pouting.

"Maybe she's busy or not looked at her emails or something," said Leonard not convincing either of them. They both knew that Leonora was irritatingly efficient at checking her emails and replying to the ones she wanted to reply to.

Leonard wandered off into the kitchen to make a cup of tea, but before he got there the 'phone rang. He glanced down to see who it was but the number was unavailable. Probably work.

"Hello, Leonard Smith," he said.

"Hello Leonard. Thank you for the email and the beautiful photos of Tata. Please tell her that I miss her lots too and love her very much. But you can stop sending me all these emails chock full of photographs and trying to manipulate me to return because I am not coming back. Is that clear? Good bye." And Leonora put the 'phone down.

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

Leonora was pleased with herself. She turned to the little crutches.

"Encore," they said, clapping at Leonora's bravura performance. "Encore Leonora."

"Don't be silly," she said laughing. "I can't possibly do an encore, that would totally ruin the effect."

The little crutches laughed too. "Well, it was very good anyway," they said.

And they all limped off to the sofa. Leonora picked up her book, but it soon dropped from her fingers, and her eyes shut as she dozed off, dreaming of giving Leonard what for.

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


Leonard stared at the 'phone blankly.

Hello Leonora.

Nice to hear from you.

How are you?

Yeah, I'm OK thanks.

No, not a single word of it. He put the 'phone down and turned to Tata.

"That was Leonora," he said.

"Ruff," barked Tata who had worked that one out.

"She said the photos of you are beautiful and that she misses you lots and that she loves you. But she is not coming back."

Tata sat down with a thump. How could Leonora miss her and love her and not want to come back? It didn't make any sense. In fact it was giving her a headache even thinking about it. She decided to go and lie on the sofa.

Leonard wandered off into the kitchen to make the cup of tea and looked around for inspiration for his lunch. He found none. Perhaps he would go and buy a large bar of chocolate when he got back to work.

Then he noticed a banana waving at him. He limped over to get it and as he reached for it he remembered Leonora telling him they were fattening. He decided to take two just to annoy her. But of course it wouldn't annoy her because she didn't seem to want to have anything to do with him so she wouldn't know he was going to eat not one, but two of them.

The trouble was that he had grown quite fond of Leonora. She had become a part of his daily life, with her sarcastic comments and always poking fun at him.

He took his cup of tea and went to sit on the sofa next to Tata.

"Ruff ruff?" she asked.

"I don't know what I'm going to do now. What do you think I should do?" he asked back.

"Ruff," barked Tata who usually had an answer to most things. After all, she was head of the house so it was important that she did the option appraisals and found solutions to problems.

"Lara?" said Leonard puzzled. Lara was Rod's older sister and got on particularly well with Leonora. It was hard to believe there was 20 years difference in them as they could both be quite crazy when they got together.

"Ruff, ruff," replied Tata. Really, did she have to go into detail with everything?

"But Lara is going off on her world trip in a week or so. Oh, I see. Yes, I suppose so. Get her to ring Leonora and come visit before she leaves.

"Hmmm, do you think Leonora will buy that?" he asked.

"Ruff," barked Tata, who didn't think it was in doubt.

"Leonora loves planning trips too. She will love to hear what Lara has done, and all about her visas and everything. Yes, she won't be able to resist that one.

"Last time Lara was here and they were talking about it, she hadn't finalised anything. I'll leave it while tomorrow though. Today might look too coincidental.

"You are a very clever dog Tata," he said and stroked her head.

"Ruff," she barked, smirking.