A voice from the past

But they never did go geocaching. Leonora didn't even buy a GPS.

Just like the planned trip to Portugal, her heart wasn't in it. It didn't really help that she couldn't think about geocaching without thinking of Leonard.

Little crutch number three was sorry its idea hadn't worked out. All the little crutches were looking forward to going out looking for tiny pots of hidden treasure and they had hoped it would cheer Leonora up.

So she continued to mooch around the house, flicked on the internet for aimless distraction, did the minimum of housework, and generally just drifted from one day to the next.

One Saturday the 'phone rang. She glanced down to see if it was Leonard. It wasn't. She would probably have picked it up anyway, even it had been him.

'Hello Leonora.' It was Mark. Leonora was so surprised she just said 'oh.'

'How are you?' he said in a friendly voice.

Leonora was puzzled. Why was he ringing her after all this time?

'I'm ok,' she said automatically even though she wasn't. 'You?'

'Good thanks,' he answered, thinking she seemed somewhat short of words and he had clearly made a mistake ringing her.

There was a pause. It was her turn to speak and she couldn't think of anything to say.

Mark filled the gap. 'What have you been up to?'

'Nothing really. You?'

'Work, a few business trips, the usual,' he replied. 'Listen, do you fancy going for a walk with Sheba and I?'

Leonora couldn't help it. 'Mark, why are you ringing me up after months to ask me to go for a walk? You haven't been interested in how I am or what I have been doing for ages.'

'I miss you. You didn't ring me either.'

'No,' she said. 'I didn't.'

Mark decided to ask the question that was drumming away in his head. 'Did you go to Morocco with that cousin of yours?'

'No,' she said quickly. 'I was never going to,' she added for emphasis, although mainly for her own benefit.

'I figured you had and you'd dumped me,' continued Mark.

'I'm sorry,' said Leonora automatically. 'I guess I just wanted some time to mope around on my own.

'And then it seemed too late to ring you, and I would have felt such a fool if you had got together with someone else,' she said. Then out of curiosity she asked, 'Did you?'

'No,' he replied. 'Didn't feel like another relationship.'

Leonora froze. The horrible R word. The one she had been avoiding all the time she was with Mark. While she had seen him as good company with a nice dog, who she happened to have sex with - Mark, not the dog - he had considered they had a 'relationship.'

'Well, I'd hardly call it a relationship,' she said, desperate to deny it.

'I thought it was. Obviously not,' he said, wishing he had never rung. 'I guess you don't want to come for a walk with us then.'

'When were you thinking of?' she asked quickly, suddenly realising she was destroying yet another friendship.

'This afternoon? Tomorrow morning? Whatever's convenient for you.'

'Tomorrow morning maybe, I've got stuff to do today,' she lied, not wanting to cope with seeing him immediately.

'OK, say we come and pick you up around 11ish?'

'Fine. Or earlier if you want. You know I'm usually up early. Why don't you give me a ring when you are ready to leave?' she suggested.

'Yes, all right. That's a good idea. Where do you want to go? Anywhere in particular? A stroll round the park, or something a bit more taxing?'

'Maybe up a hill or something. Get some fresh air. Not a huge hill,' she added quickly. 'Just somewhere out of town with a nice view and, well, you know the sort of thing.'

He laughed. 'That's very specific Leonora. But I'll work somewhere out that hopefully fits the bill. I'll give you a ring then say around 9.30, or 10ish if I sleep in. Is that OK?'

'Yes, that sounds great. See you then. Love to Sheba.'

'Bye Leonora,' he said and put the 'phone down, not really sure whether it had been a wise move or not to ring her.

Leonora put the 'phone down thoughtfully too. She turned round to see five big eyes gazing at her through the door from the hallway.

'Who was that?' said little crutch number five in its very small voice.

'Was it Leonard?' asked little crutch number three.

'Idiot!' said little crutch number one.

'Of course it wasn't Leonard,' said little crutch number two.

'It was Mark,' said little crutch number one. 'I think.'

They were both about to kick little crutch number three and then caught Leonora's warning look.

'Who's Mark?' asked little crutch number four hesitantly.

Leonora wondered whether to wait and see what little crutches number one and two would have to say about her non-relationship with Mark, but decided against it. They might say something she didn't want to hear. They could be uncannily accurate sometimes.

'He's a friend with a nice dog who I haven't seen for a while,' she said hastily. And glared at numbers one and two to make sure they didn't say any more. Although she didn't know why she was wasting her time. As soon as she was out of the way, no doubt they would fill the other three in on all the details.

'I've agreed to go for a walk with them tomorrow morning.'

'Ooooh goody. Where are we going? Are we going geocaching?' asked little crutch number three.

'Stupid!' said little crutch number one.

'Leonora said I,' added little crutch number two.

'And stop mentioning geocaching,' said little crutch number one.

And this time they couldn't resist giving the third little crutch a hefty kick on its shins (if little crutches have shins) and down it crashed.

Leonora sighed. 'Come on you two. Stop picking on number three. There's no point pretending I'm not upset about Leonard, and it's not number three's fault that you two have lived here longer and know more about my life.' She picked up the third little crutch and leaned it back against the wall.

'But they are right. I'm going on my own. Sorry about that.'

She walked into the kitchen and poured a large glass of wine. She took it back into the sitting room, lay on the sofa and wondered what tomorrow would bring.