Generously, Will slid a bottle of beer across the kitchen table to Rona. Rona opened it, because it was free beer, and as soon as she did so she realised she was condemning herself to have to sit and listen to Will's complaints. "So what's wrong" she said, like a mother trying to hide her impatience with her children.

Will gesticulated towards the bathroom, where Miranda was. "Ask -" he half-swore under his breath - "bath girl in there."

"Oh." The magnitude of what she'd have to put up with tonight suddenly dawned on Rona.

"Just all. Fucking. Day she was riding me" Will said, and Rona had to try hard to suppress a giggle.

"You must've hated that" she said mischievously.

"Just about every little thing, about how I wasn't washing the plates fast enough, and then about how when I washed them quicker they weren't clean. I mean I tried to fucking please her but everyone at that fucking café seems to think a dishpig doesn't do any work. And I was working my guts out. Me and the others. Oh yeah, but it's only me who gets shouted at. Fuck!" Will reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and flipped the lid open and pulled one out and also the lighter he kept in there.

"Um, you can't smoke in here" Rona said.

"Who says?" Will demanded.

The anger in his voice that made Rona shrink back behind the safety of officialdom. "It's on the lease" she said meekly.

"Fuck it" Will said. "Like the landlord's gonna find out." He lit the cigarette, and Rona chastised herself for not just telling him that she didn't want him to smoke inside the house. He never had before, he'd always gone outside as a matter of understanding.

"I don't know what got into her" Will said. "She was just a complete bitch today. I'm starting to think it's a good fucking thing I'm leaving soon."