Angie went to the bags and pulled out a bottle of vodka, bags of crisps, peanuts, wine, carton of cigs and a mess of napkins, said:

‘I didn’t know what to get so I got everything.’

Falls was conscious of her ratty dressing gown and said:

‘Just let me change.’

Angie put up her hand, said:

‘No way, girl, you look comfortable and unless you have some guys stashed, let’s have us a girlie night.’

She began to open the vodka, said:

‘Yo, Elizabeth, get some glasses. We don’t want to drink from the bottle — least not yet, am I right?’

Falls went to the kitchen, rinsed out some glasses, tried to get with the game. The Bud had made her fuzzy and she felt she’d better slow down and let Angie catch up.

Back to the living room and Angie was on the couch, the bottle opened. She was wearing a very short skirt and Falls marvelled at her shapely legs.

Angie caught the look, asked:

‘You think my legs are too heavy.’

‘No, you, ahm… you’re in great shape.’

She patted the couch, said:

‘Come on girl, join me.’

Falls thought she was probably imagining it but was there a tone of flirting in there? She sat back and Angie poured two lethal measures, opened a pack of peanuts, said:

‘I’m, like, starved. Didn’t get to eat today.’

She raised hers, clinked glasses and knocked it back. Falls took a small sip, resolved to take it real slow and asked:

‘So, how come you’re… in the neighbourhood?’

Angie, thinking of the one-bar fire, the bath and Jimmy, smiled, said:

‘I had me a day, and I remembered we had us such a nice evening last time, I thought it would be fun to get together. Truth is, I was feeling electric.’

Falls realised she’d finished her drink and, when Angie poured two more, she didn’t fight it. Angie went into a long story about the club she was working at and the shit she had to tolerate. Falls was laughing, having herself a time and thinking: I can handle this, what was I worried about?