'Ava can sort that out with you as soon as she's helped me with something upstairs.' he shouts over his shoulder as he disappears.
Can I? I don't know what Cathy does, or what he wants her to do today, and I have absolutely no intention of following him upstairs to finish what I've started.
I sit exactly where I am, taking a deep breath of confidence. 'Cathy, I just wanted to apologise for yesterday and this morning.'
She rolls her eyes. 'Don't worry, darling, honestly.'
'I was so rude to you, and then this morning...well, I wasn't expecting company.' I feel my cheeks burning up again as I pick at the last bits of my bagel.
'Ava, really, it's fine. Jesse told me you had a bad day and he failed to notify you of my return. I understand.' She smiles at me as she dusts down her apron. It's a sincere smile. I like Cathy. With her grey bob, friendly face and floral skirts, she is typically wholesome.
'It won't happen again.' I take my plate to the dishwasher and go to open it, but the plate is whipped from my hand before I have a chance to see through my chore.
'I'll take that. You better go and help my boy with whatever it is he needs you for.'
Oh, I know exactly what he needs me for and I'm not going anywhere. He can sort himself out. It's killing me to deny him, but his face was just brilliant. 'Oh, he'll manage.'
'Okay, shall we go through what I should get on with? I have a roster, but being away for so long, it's all gone to cock!' She takes a pad and pen from the front of her apron and gets ready to take notes. 'I should probably start with the washing and ironing.'
'Urm, I'm not sure,' I shrug. 'I don't even really live here.' I whisper. I want to add that I've been abducted and moved in against my will.
'You don't?' Her face is puzzled 'My boy said you did.'
'Well, it's a conversation yet to be had,' I explain. 'He doesn't like the word no. Well, not from me, anyway.'
Her shiny forehead furrows. 'What, my easygoing boy?'
I scoff. 'Yes, so I'm told.' If anyone else says he's easygoing, I might just trample them.
'Well, it's nice to have a lady in the house.' she says, collecting some cleaner from under the sink. 'My boy needs a girl.' she muses to herself.
I smile at Cathy's affectionate referral to Jesse. I wonder how long she has worked for him? Jesse had said that she was the only woman he couldn't live without, although I suspect that has changed now.
She sprays the worktop down with anti-bacterial spray and starts wiping. 'I'll wait for Jesse then, if you would prefer.'
'Yes, thank you. I'm just going to make a few calls.' I notice my phone charging on the side but no bag. 'Have you seen my bag?'
'I popped it in the cloakroom, darling. Oh, and I've had Clive sort out the elevator door.'
I cringe. 'Oh, thank you.' I grab my phone and make my way out of the kitchen to retrieve my bag. She probably thinks I'm a slob as well as a rude cow, a vandal and a flasher.
I find my bag and glance down at my phone, noting two missed calls from my Mum and a text from Matt. My shoulders sag. I should delete it, but curiosity gets the better of me.
I don't know what got into me. I'm sorry x.
I bristle from head to toe and delete the message. The last thing I need is Jesse finding it. He was sorry before and it's still bothering me how he knows about Jesse. I should ring my Mum first, but I have a friend with some explaining to do. She takes a while, but she eventually answers. I know she'll be looking down at her screen, wondering what to say.
'You're a member!' I blurt accusingly when she finally picks up.
'And?' She's aiming for nonchalance, but I'm detecting irritation.
'Why didn't you tell me?'
'It's none of your business.' she retorts.
'Thanks!' I'm completely offended. We tell each other everything.
'It's just a bit of fun, Ava.' she huffs impatiently.
I've heard this before, but I know there's more to it. I know she likes Sam and I can't see how joining him in all things kinky and going along with his lifestyle is going to get her what she wants. This is a disaster waiting to happen. 'You keep saying that.'