Missed connections

The evening went ok, although Leonard had to bite his tongue a few times.

Lara was busy talking about giving up her job before she left for her trip and Leonard was decidedly unimpressed. The firm she worked for had agreed to hold it open for her when she returned, but she was thinking about moving elsewhere and thought it was immoral to accept the offer of returning to her job after six months if she only stayed in it a few weeks or a couple of months.

Needless to state, Leonora agreed with Lara. She thought it was great that the firm was happy to hold the job for her, and if Lara intended to stay there for some time that was fine. But as Lara's intention was to leave the area as soon as she returned - subject to finding a new job, Leonora could understand her moral dilemma.

Flippin' women thought Leonard. Lara will come back skint from her trip, needing somewhere to crash and someone to feed her until she finds a new job, and guess who will end up funding her? He desperately wanted to open his mouth and play the bossy father routine, but just couldn't be bothered with the grief. He felt very virtuous sitting there with his mouth shut. And hoped Lara had the sense to hang onto the job.

After Rod and Jane had achieved their main objectives of free showers and food, they left fairly early, on the grounds that they had work in the morning. Nothing else worth scrounging, thought Leonard grumpily.

As usual Leonora cleared off to bed early, and after a while Lara and Mrs Leonard followed her. Useless women. None of them have any stamina. Leaving me to stay up on my own and no-one willing to entertain me.

He sulked around grouchily on a few forums, watched the late night news, and threw Tata off the sofa when she put her head on the keyboard.

Bump! she fell on the floor and glared at Leonard.

"Not my fault. Got to send a few emails and annoy the woman who asks me Nosy Personal Questions. Nothing else happening around here anyway," he sulked.

Front paws went out and head went moodily on top of them. Shan't forget that in a hurry, thought Tata, in a very bad mood. Just you wait Leonard. Ow, and my ribs hurt too.

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

Leonard had no idea what happened the next day. Leonora and Lara were in good spirits when he returned home for lunch, although neither of them seemed interested in speaking to him.

Dinner that evening was a quieter affair with just the four of them, and Leonora cleared off to bed early again.

Leonard was beginning to wonder if she was avoiding him, or maybe she was just more interested in chatting to Lara. Perhaps when Lara left things would return to normal. He smiled, wondering what he should tease Leonora about over the next few days.

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

At breakfast the next day, Lara said: "Hey dad, any chance of a lift at lunchtime? Oh, and Leonora needs to get a lift to the station too."

Leonard nearly choked on his huge bowl of cereal.

"What?" he said.

"Well, I'm going back today and Leonora is going home too," she explained, somewhat surprised that Leonard had not understood this fairly simple piece of travel information.

Leonora had her face in fruit salad.

"Leonora?" he said, puzzled. "You aren't going back so soon are you?"

Leonora lifted her moody green eyes out of the fruit salad. "Yes. I came to see Lara, and so it seems sensible to leave when she does. A lift would be great if it is convenient, but if not I'll get a taxi."

And she studied her fruit salad again with great attention.

The trouble was that Leonard had to shoot off to work. He had no time to argue with anyone. "I'll see you both at lunchtime then," he said miserably.

When he came home to collect them, they were both ready with their bags packed. They had obviously sorted everything between them as it seemed he had to take Leonora to the station and then drop off Lara.

The two women hugged each other on the station platform, and then Leonora turned to Leonard. She gave him a little wave, and said "Bye."

Leonard was gobsmacked. He thought he deserved a bit more than that. They had started off so well too, and yet after that first short burst of rapport, he had hardly spoken to her.

He stood looking vacantly at her but Lara grabbed hold of him and said: "Come on dad, Leonora knows how to catch a train by now, let's get a move on."

Leonard looked back once more, but Leonora wasn't even looking their way. He walked sadly back to the car park with Lara.