"I mean I don't know for sure" Sacha hastened to add. "I mean maybe we're just using more water. But you've got to admit, Shelly has been around here a lot. Most of the nights you two spend together, it seems you're both here."

"If that's a problem -"

"No, not at all! I love Shelly! I really like having her around. I hope you two never break up!" Sacha suddenly became acutely aware that with that comment she may have stumbled across the boundary from effusive fondness to complete weirdness and probably creepiness, but it was too late now. "But, look, I just mean it doesn't seem fair to split up a water bill made by three people between only two people."

"No, that's fair enough" Hannah agreed. She knotted her brow, thinking about her options. She didn't feel like she was ready to ask Shelly to move in yet, and she didn't know how Sacha would react if she did. "Maybe I should start spending more time over at her place" she said. But Shelly's housemates were a bit weird and Shelly's house was near a major road and she just generally didn't like being over there.

"Would . . ." Sacha began. She exhaled, and scratched her lip, and wished Hannah wasn't making this so difficult for her. "Would Shelly be able, I mean is she in a position, to pay part of the water bill?" She looked carefully at Hannah. Sometimes her glasses gave her confidence in looking people in the eye, as if they acted as a shield, or a blast-proof window. "I mean not even a whole third. I mean that probably wouldn't be completely fair, seeing as how she doesn't actually live here. But some of it. I mean a representative amount."

"Representing what?"

"A - a symbolic amount I guess, like acknowledging that yes, she spends time here, quite a lot of time, and yes, she has showers every night she's here."

"You've been paying attention?" Hannah smiled.

"Not on purpose" Sacha protested.

"I'll talk to her about it" Hannah promised. "I'll see what she says. She hasn't got a lot of money. I mean she has bills to pay at her own house, too." And it's not like she's the only girlfriend dropping by for a shower or two, Hannah thought. I'm sure the bill can't be as big as all that, it's just Sacha obsessing about everything.