Those plans

Leonora and Mark drifted into an easy-going relationship. They kept their work relationship on a formal basis and met up most weekends for sex, and to walk Sheba.

Of course, as soon as she met Sheba, Leonora fell madly in love with her. She was approximately four years old, and had been picked up by the dog warden when she was wandering round the streets, after being chucked out by her previous owners.

Leonora had asked herself more than once if she would have been quite so happy to continue seeing Mark if he hadn't had the adorable Sheba. But he did, so the relationship continued.

Occasionally Leonora agreed to have lunch out. More often than not though, they ate at home, either his or hers, Mark seemed to be an agreeable cook and he had an agreeable cock too.

Mark had stayed overnight at Leonora's place a few times, but it was the exception rather than the rule. She figured it was easier to keep things simple and not end up spending the whole weekend together.

Oddly enough, Mark never mentioned Leonora taking on extra responsibilities again at work. She wondered idly if it had been a ploy, but didn't care either way. The work was easy enough, not stressful, not hugely well-paid, but it made a change to go to work and earn money after such a long break.

Leonora did feel she was slightly wasted though, and occasionally looked at ads for more demanding jobs. Sometimes she thought about chucking it too, and returning to her life of leisure. If she had felt that she had been floating without direction beforehand, getting a job hadn't made any difference. What was she to do with the rest of her life?

She had been tempted to send Leonard some pictures of Sheba, but then she would have had to explain about Mark, so she didn't bother saying anything in the end. She was still exchanging the odd email with Leonard, but they were irregular and said little.

One evening, she came in from work, thinking about her future more than ever. Mark had suggested going out - or at least having sex - during the week after work, and she had put her foot firmly down.

Leonora was quite happy compartmentalising her life, and giving Mark two different persona - the weekend social one, and the weekday work one. She had asked herself more than once, if she chucked work, would the relationship end?

Pring pring. Pring pring, rang the 'phone.

She looked at the time. Mark would have got home. Was he ringing her to insist on seeing each other tonight? Leonora frowned and let it ring.

When it had stopped she looked at the number of the last call. Unavailable. That was really helpful.

Leonora decided to distract herself on the internet. She still hadn't abandoned the idea of spending some time travelling round Europe, but she knew she would have to resign to do that. Maybe she should just put it off for a while.

She gazed at the screen wondering where to look on the internet for something that would distract her from all these silly thoughts.

Pring pring. Automatically she reached for the 'phone and picked it up.

"Hi," she said.

Once upon a time she used to be terribly professional and say Leonora Smythe in her best work voice. These days she figured that people who rang either knew who she was, or if they didn't they shouldn't be ringing anyway.

"Hello Leonora," said Leonard cheerfully.

"Hello Leonard," she replied, surprised to hear from him.

"I've booked the ferry for our trip," he gaily continued. "I've allowed three weeks, so that should give us plenty of time to drive round and see lots of stuff.

"I'd wondered whether you might like to stay on by yourself to travel round a bit more, but you would need different things really, so I figured it was easier just to book a return trip for us both.

"I'll send you the details by email, but I just wanted to let you know."

"I've got a job," she said, not really knowing what else to say.

"Well, I'm sure you get holidays don't you?" he said pleasantly.

"Yes, I suppose I do," she answered. "But probably not for three weeks at once when I haven't been there long."

"Well, chuck it then, if you can't get the leave. You can always get another job," he said. "You don't always get the chance to go overland to Morocco."

"I'm shagging the boss," she said, determined to make a dent in Leonard's resilience.

"What's that got to do with anything?" asked Leonard.

This was Leonard at his worst, thought Leonora, an answer for everything.

"Well, he might not like me going to Morocco with another man," she said.

Leonard burst out laughing. Leonora was peeved.

"Whatever happened to the good feminist? One shag and all your principles have gone? I thought it was up to you to decide what you want to do?"

Leonora sighed. Noisily. "We've had more than one shag, for your information. And of course, it's up to me to decide what I want to do, but I don't want to appear disrespectful to him."

"No reason why you should. If you feel the need to say anything about it, tell him you are going with your cousin and there isn't a hope in hell that there will be any shagging going on," said Leonard, still laughing.

"Leonard, I am really tired of you telling me how unattractive you find me, and how unshaggable I am. It is just uncalled for," she said.

"I didn't say any of that. I said it isn't going to happen, not quite the same. Why don't you bring him down for the weekend, and we can all meet up. He can vet me."

"Well, anyway, I really don't think I can come," she said. "I mean, to Morocco. And I'm certainly not bringing him down to meet you all.

"Oh, and he has a nice German Shepherd called Sheba," she added remembering she hadn't told Leonard this all-important piece of info.

"Great, I'm sure Tata will love to meet her. When do you want to come?" he asked.

"Noooooooo!" said Leonora. "No, to Morocco. No, to the weekend. Just no Leonard. No."

"All right Leonora. Let's be serious. I have booked the ferry, the cabin, and the time off work. I will send you the dates and times, and you can sort out your end whether you take time off work or you chuck the job - that's your decision. And if you want to bring Mr Shagger down for the weekend sometime that's fine too.

"But right now, I do not feel like cancelling the booking and losing money. Is that clear? And I haven't seen you for ages anyway. A few weeks camping together will be a good laugh."

"I don't know, Leonard," she said.

Leonard sighed - mentally - with relief. At least she wasn't saying no. Sometimes the woman was such hard work.

"And regardless of whether you want to bring Mr Shagger down or not, why don't you come down for a weekend? You've got that scruffy Series to pick up as well which is still cluttering up my drive," he said.

"One way tickets are so dear," she moaned.

"Well, look at it this way, the trip to Morocco won't cost you too much. Remember it's my peace offering for being the cause of your accident in the first place," he said.

She laughed. "Aw, it wasn't really your fault. Well, maybe it was a little bit, but I'm not going to blame you forever."

"That's not like you Leonora. Don't tell me a little romance in your life has softened your edges," he said.

"It's not romance," she snapped. "I'm having sex with the boss, that's all. I see him most weekends, but not all weekend, we have sex, we have a meal together and we go for a walk with Sheba."

"Bit like spending the weekend with us really then, isn't it? Apart from the sex of course," said Leonard.

"Yes, I suppose it is," she answered.

"So when are you coming down then? I'm sure you can manage a weekend without sex, or have double rations the weekend before to keep you going. Or as I said, you're welcome to bring him," he said.

"We can start planning the trip seriously," he added, going for Leonora's well-known weak spot.

"Maybe the weekend after next then," she said, falling for the planning bait as usual.

"Hey, I've just thought. What have you done about cabins? I hope we have one each. Those ship cabins are very small you know," she said.

"Not as small as the roof tent," laughed Leonard. "I booked us an outside one."

"Us?" she said in a very small voice.

"Yep. Us. Give you chance to get used to sleeping with me in a small space.

"You won't want to sleep on your own in Morocco. It gets cold at night," he said, pleased with his practical advice.

Leonora remembered the last time she had been close to Leonard on the cliff top, and found him strangely comfortable. The thought of three weeks sleeping next to someone without having sex was bizarre.

Still, if everyone seemed happy with it, who was she to question this strange trip?

"Well, send me the details by email, and I'll sort out coming down to see you. OK? Thanks for the call, Leonard, and see you soon."

"Bye Leonora," said Leonard. He was feeling rather pleased with himself.

Leonora just could not resist travel planning. Leonard wasn't sure whether she enjoyed the trip as much as the planning.

He was pleased he had told her he had booked it all, and given her a nice fait-accompli. She might well have backed out if he had rung up to confirm before booking, especially with this ridiculous new job and the new love interest.

Leonard got onto the ferry companies to get the cheapest deal for an outside cabin for two.

Leonora put the 'phone down, also rather pleased. She had never thought Leonard would really go through with the trip, and was excited about everything. Three weeks away with him, planning the trip, and the whole adventure.

She sighed with happiness. Things were not looking bad at all.

Pring pring. The 'phone rang again. Oh my god, she thought. He's changed his mind after all. Five minutes of happiness and anticipation shattered with another call.

She picked it up hesitantly.

"Hi Leonora," said Mark. "How about I pick up a take-away and bring it round, and we can go for an evening walk with Sheba too?"

"Yeah fine," she said. "Come whenever you want - well not too late obviously, you know I like to go to bed early."

It would save her cooking, and she might as well broach the subject of the holiday and the leave, get it all over with instead of fretting about it.

She sat in front of the screen, staring at it, willing Leonard's email to pop up with the details of the dates and ferry travel.

But it didn't appear. So after ten minutes or so she picked up her Morocco travel guide and went to curl up on the sofa to dream of her exciting trip.