They eventually finished setting up the bed, and - again with Hannah's help - Sacha hauled her mattress on top of it. "Mmm, looks comfy" said Hannah, bending over to run her hand gently across the top of the mattress.

"Does the trick" Sacha replied. She stretched her back. "Do you mind if we leave the boxes out in the corridor for tonight? I'm kinda sick of moving them today."

"Yeah, sure, of course" replied Hannah, standing straight again quickly. She glanced out towards the corridor, where the boxes were stacked four or five high hard against the wall. "They're not too in the way there" she added. "Anyway -" she put her hands on her hips - "I guess it's Champagne time then!"

"Sounds good" grinned Sacha. She could do with a drink or two.

They went through to the sitting-room and Hannah brought out the Champagne, in an ice-bucket, along with two glasses. Sacha looked at the ice-bucket and laughed. "Wow" she said, "I've never seen one of those in someone's house before."

Hannah smiled. "One of my ex-housemates worked in a restaurant supplies shop. She bought it home once as a birthday present."

"Wow" said Sacha again. "I don't think I could match that from my work. Not unless you like pens, I guess."

Hannah laughed. "Woo! Can't wait for my next birthday!"

She poured them each a glass of Champagne - the glasses didn't match the ice-bucket for grandeur, being fairly cheap standard-style wine-glasses, but they held the drink and that was all Hannah or Sacha cared about. "Cheers, anyway!" Hannah grinned, and they clinked glasses.

"Welcome to the house of fun."

"What, do people come here to buy condoms or something?"

"What?"

"You know the song? 'House of Fun', by Madness?"

"No."

"Oh." Sacha shook her head. "Never mind. Bad joke. But thankyou, anyway! Thanks for asking me to move in!"

"Fuck that" Hannah replied, "thanks for agreeing." They clinked glasses again, and drank their Champagne.