The girl who dropped in

stepped forward on a quest that would determine the rest of her life!

  She was ready for action, to leap forth, to move forward and meet the world head on, rushing headlong into the unknown. Well, at least she would if the 9:35 to city wasn't running late. There is nothing worse than being ready to dash towards one's future whilst standing still at a bus stop. She paced. Then she paced some more. Finally a familiar shape appeared just down the road ... at last. Hang in there future - I'm on my way!

  Saturday (a bit later still)

  There was a knock at the door.

  This is an unusual event. The last time there was a knock at the door he ended up lying to a policeman and having sex. Not with the policeman you understand, but with the first person who dropped in ... literally!

  She was closest and so naturally she opened the door without thinking while Jono was only halfway down the hall. The abbreviated resulting conversation went like this:

  Girl with no name: "Emily!?"

  Emily: "Juliet!?"

  Girl now known as Juliet: "Emily!?"

  Emily: "Juliet!?"

  Jono: "Emily?"

  Jono: "Juliet?"

  Although he joined the conversation late, Jono was able to determine that the strangely familiar girl at the door was called Emily and his love was Juliet. Quite the thinker our man. Juliet ... what a beautiful name. How fitting. How romantic. If only he was called Romeo then this would be perfect (well if you exclude the bit in the tale about both of them ending up dead of course)!

  Emily: "What are you doing here?"

  Jono: "I live here."

  Emily: "Not you ... her!"

  Jono: "Oh right."

  Juliet: "Well ... what are you doing here?"

  Emily: "I ... I asked first. This isn't your home. You live around the corner."

  Juliet: "I know where I live thank you."

  Jono: "Having sex with me."

  Actually Jono only thought that, although he did kinda want to tell the world that he and her were ... well ... you know.

  Emily: "Are you having sex with him?"

  Jono: "Damn you are good but yes she is having sex with me. Beautiful naked sex. Best sex ever!"

  Once again, he was only thinking this albeit quite loudly. Just as well really.

  Then followed an awkward silence as all three tried to figure out what was happening and how to deal with it. The problem for Jono was that he just didn't have a to do list to deal with situations like this for fairly obvious reasons. This was a bit of a pickle. It seems that there is some explaining to do and Jono deserved an answer. All he had to do was start asking the right questions.

  Waiting.

  Waiting.

  It is clear that our love struck hero is a bit slow in the realisation department this morning. Looks like this could take some time. You may want to make yourself a cup of tea.

  "Hang on."

  Come back, looks like he's back on the ball.

  "You work in the library."

  Na put the kettle back on.

  But, there was something else. Something looming on the horizon like a cloud, looming in a way that a looming cloud ... looms. Questions were starting to form in his mind.

  'What was the girl from the library doing here?'

  Yes, that's quite a pertinent question.

  'And how did she know Juliet's name?'

  Ah, another good question.

  'And how did Juliet know her name?'

  Yes, very very good question!

  'Is the milk is past it’s used by date? I could really do with a cup of tea.'

  No, you idiot! Think! Think!

  "Hang on, you knew her name! How did you know her name?"

  Unless...

  Ta Da!

  "You said you knew where you lived, but you have amnesia!"

  "Amnesia?" Emily asked in a kind of surprised but not really surprised kind of voice that suggested that this kind of thing had happened before.

  Juliet rolled her eyes and sighed ... well more snorted derisively actually, “I LIED!”

  "What?" Once again, there was that surprised but not really surprised kind of voice that suggested that this kind of thing had happened before.

  "What?" Jono's response came a second or two later after the information sank in using a very surprised kind of voice that suggested nothing like this had happened before.

  Juliet: "I LIED OK? I don't have amnesia. In fact, I never had amnesia. At worst I got a headache from the fall."

  "Fall?" Emily was intrigued.

  "Through my kitchen ceiling." Jono explained. Judging by the look on Emily's face, Jono's explanation raised more questions than it answered. Emily had the initial thought of seeking clarification but then thought better of it. Jono, however, needed more answers.

  "Wha…?"

  Juliet was clearly becoming impatient with the situation and interrupted him.

  "I WAS FAKING IT! Along with several other things."

  That last bit was uttered under her breath but not so quiet that the others didn't hear it. Jono didn't get what she meant. Emily did and gave her a look that said, 'Bitch!'

  Juliet sighed with resignation, "I suppose you want an explanation now don't you?"

  "It would help," Jono replied in a small pitiful voice that suggested that he knew he was about to experience something bad. A bit like a child that knows it’s done something wrong and is facing up to the fact that punishment is on its way. Except Jono hadn't done anything wrong, had he?

  They all ventured inside to the kitchen still resplendent with its overhead portal, which became the focus of Emily's attention. But before they even sat down Jono started asking questions.

  "So how come you knew her name?"

  That question wasn't actually directed at anyone but Emily fielded it.

  "Oh I used to baby sit little princess here. Quite the handful she was too." Emily looked at Juliet with an expression of disdain derived from painful experience of their history together.

  Really? Emily didn't look very old. Assuming that Emily started her baby-sitting career at eleven that would make Juliet about - Oh my God! (or OMG! for those hip young things who no longer use actual words).

  "Seventeen." She filled in the gap seeing the look on his face.

  Whew!

  At least she was legal, kinda, if you ignore all the alcohol that she consumed.

  "It was all Daddy's fault," Juliet had started talking without prompting, "he wanted to send me away."

  "Can't imagine why," a sarcastic Emily sounding voice muttered.

  "Daddy had decided that not only did I have to go to university but I would have to stay in a college ... with all those plebs! Can you imagine just how disgusting that would be? I mean what do I need an education for I don't need a job. I already have everything."

  "Except friends." There was that voice again.

  "I decided," Juliet carried on ignoring the heckling, "that Daddy hadn't properly thought about the impact of not having me around so I decided that he needed was a little sample just to teach him a lesson. I figured that me not being there would make him realise just how much he would miss me and he would drop this ridiculous idea once and for all."

  "So you hid in someone’s roof?” Emily asked incredulously, “You have an unlimited credit card and the best you could do is someone’s roof? Why not somewhere decent?"

  Juliet looked at Emily with a disdained look.

  "Daddy cancelled my cards. He said it was about time I started to earn my own way."

  Emily made a feeble attempt to conceal her glee.

  "Gosh that must have hurt."

  Juliet carried on ignoring the comment.

  "So I needed somewhere free to hide for a while and this place was perfect. Close. Easy to break into. Easy to find a hiding space."

  "Weren’t you worried about being caught?" Jono asked somewhat perturbed that his place was as easy to infiltrate as ... well he was.

  Juliet responded with an expression that sa
id, ‘duh’.

  "You were so predictable. It was easy to plan things around your comings and goings. So when you weren't here I just came and went as I pleased. Easy."

  "Which is why we are all sanding here." Gee Emily can be really sarcastic.

  "I NEVER SAID IT WAS A PERFECT PLAN," Juliet retorted stamping her foot, "I was making it up as I went along. It was starting to get a bit uncomfortable up there and was thinking that maybe Daddy had learnt his lesson so I thought it was safe to go back home when", her eyes looked up, "I dropped in."

  She sighed, "Another day or two and you would have never known I was here. How was I to know that your ceiling was dodgy?"

  It was true, there had clearly been some pretty bad work done in the past right about ... well there right where the gaping hole was.

  "Once I was discovered, I thought the best thing was to feign amnesia, just for a couple of days. It was easier than trying to explain myself. Then before I knew it a whole week had gone. It's amazing how quickly time flies when there is free food and booze."

  'And sex,' Jono added silently, 'that was free too.'

  For a second her face softened and she looked almost sorry.

  "You are actually a really kind person. You took in a total stranger and gave them food, wine and a place to stay ... completely free."

  'And sex,' Jono added silently, 'that was free too.'

  She tugged at the shirt she was wearing.

  "I'll get these cleaned for you and bring them back. Did your Mum die young or something?"

  No, she most definitely didn't!

  Then there was an awkward pause during which eyes gazed anywhere except into other eyes, feet shuffled uncomfortably, and various sighs and grunts attempted to fill the void.

  Eventually it was Juliet who broke the tension.

  "Um ... I should ... you know … I'm gonna go now."

  She said that with a matter of fact manner that kinda hurt. How could she do that? I mean just switch off as if nothing had happened?