The tea arrived and Rona started to pour them each a cup.

"Oh" she said, "It's a bit weak."

Matt smiled. "Honey, that's because it's tea. You've got to give it a few minutes to brew."

"Right. I thought it'd had long enough already."

"I'd say not" said Hannah, peering over the rim of the cup into the pale green liquid within.

"It smells like seaweed" said Rona.

"Yeah" grinned Matt. "It's also really good for indigestion."

"But I don't have indigestion!"

"It's good anyway."

Rona lifted the lid of the pot and sniffed the steam again. "If you say so" she said. Hannah tapped the table-top impatiently. "Hanging out for a coffee?" grinned Rona.

"Yeah" Hannah said, "reckon I might be."

"You can order one if you want" said Matt. "I mean, I'm not gonna take offence or anything. Tell you the truth, main reason I ordered the green tea was 'cause I have a bit of a hangover."

Hannah grinned. "She been keeping you up late at night?"

"Something like that" laughed Matt.

"Oh, poor dear!" smiled Rona. "I didn't realise it was having such a terrible effect on you. I guess next time I'll just have to insist that you go back home for the night. For your own good, you understand."

"Oh, is that right?"

Rona didn't say anything more, just smiled at him. Matt leaned over and pecked her on the lips, and Rona shut her eyes and scrunched up her nose in delight.

"So this Janine person" said Matt to Hannah as he leaned back again in his chair, "she's your girlfriend? Is that right?"

The look on Rona's face changed abruptly.

Hannah said: "I - yeah, I guess so. I guess that would be an accurate assessment."

Matt frowned. "You sound a little uncertain." He noticed Rona putting her hand on his arm, to draw his attention. "Matt . . ." she said quietly, as if in warning. She looked worriedly at Hannah.

Hannah just smiled, briefly, and waved her hand, as if to dismiss Rona's concerns. She tapped a fingernail on the tea-pot. "This tea, then" she said, "Reckon it's ready to drink yet?"