It feels like it's been a long day. I drop my keys in the bowl next to the phone, on the sideboard in the hall. The answerphone blinks the number two at me. I press play while I kick off my shoes and start to undo my tie while the machine clicks and whirs to life.
The first message is from an automated cold caller, and starts part-way through the pre-recorded message, asking me if I want to consolidate my debts. I jab the delete button and it skips on to the next. I smile at the sound of a familiar voice:
"…s not there. Just his answerphone… Um, hi, this is um, message for, um, well, you, I guess, nobody else is gonna be listening to this, are they? Er, anyway, yeah, just to say that er, yeah, that should be fine. Sorry to take so long calling you back and everything, but it's been mental. But yeah, you can pop round any time. I should be in most nights this week, so yeah. Whenever.
"Oh! Shit, hang on, sorry, no, Thursday's no good. Don't come on Thursday. In fact, yeah, it would definitely be better if you come round before Thursday, cos I'm gonna be dead busy on Thursday.
"This is Annie, by the way."
And she hangs up. I press the delete button and stroll through to the living room.
The cat is sprawled on the couch, stretched out, eyes closed, sleeping. I throw my tie at it and it starts, claws at it from reflex, then looks lazily at me.
"How the hell do you keep getting in?" I ask, exasperated, but it ignores me, lies back down and goes back to sleep.
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