She came to the door dressed in pyjamas, a hair net on her head.
"Excuse me," she said. "I wasn't expecting company."
He smiled and explained that he would have called, but he'd lost her number. But he was in the area, and he thought he would see if she was in. She smiled and stepped aside, using her finger to draw him inside.
"If you can take me as you find me, you are welcome."
It had been several years since he'd been inside the apartment, but it hadn't changed. Helly was never one for tidying things away and didn't like to throw things away, because "you can always find a use for them." All the surfaces were piled high with books, magazines and shopping bags, full - or half-full - with who-knows-what.
The floor was also covered with piles of things.
He negotiated the maze towards the sofa. Helly moved a pile of clothes and told him to sit down.
"I'll make you a cuppa," she said.
He didn't want to say no, but he wondered how clean the mug would be.
"I've just had one," he said. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."
Helly perched on the arm of a chair.
...
