"You're making this sound a lot more official than it actually is" Brent said. "A lot more, you know, organised. I haven't really planned anything."

"But you must have some idea" Rona countered. "Some place you've always wanted to go to."

"Well I'd like to go to Europe" Brent admitted. "Of course. But it's a long way away . . ."

"That's why it's so cool!" Rona said. "Partly."

"Plus, I dunno if it's the best time to go to Europe. I mean economically, with the protests and the riots and everything . . ."

"It's probably never been cheaper!" Rona pointed out.

"But Asia would be cheaper" Brent said. "Somewhere like Thailand, maybe, or Vietnam."

"Laos" Rona said.

"Why Laos?" Brent blinked.

"I dunno" Rona said. "What's in Laos?" Really, she just liked saying the name. She put her hands on her hips. "I can't believe you're gonna go overseas!"

"It's really not definite" Brent said. "It's just something that's been on my mind."

"For how long?"

"I dunno, just a while."

"How long would you go for?" Rona asked. She hoped he was going to say a few weeks, a month maybe.

"Honestly Rona it's not even a plan yet." Brent paused. "But if I went I'd want to make it worthwhile. I'd want to go for a while."

"I'd miss you" Rona said. But she softened it with a smile, a last-minute evasion.

"Only for a while" Brent smiled back. The conversation was turning towards somewhere he wasn't sure he wanted it to go.

"For as long as you were away" Rona said.

Brent tried laughing. "You need to find yourself a new boyfriend, Rona" he teased.

"Would you take Catherine?" Rona asked.

Brent paused uneasily. "I don't know. I haven't mentioned it to her. I haven't mentioned it to anyone except you."

They looked at each-other for a few moments, watching each-other. The moments seemed to take forever. Finally Brent broke away: "Anyway, I really need to finish entering all these books. And god, you must have better places to be on your day off!"