Flora added a couple more stems of foliage and trimmed one of the stems a little shorter. “You have an eye for it.” In fact Julia didn’t have much of an eye for it, but there was no way Flora would hurt her feelings by telling her that and she knew how badly her friend needed the job.

“I’ll never be as good as you, but I’m still learning and you’ve been doing this since you could walk.” Julia eyed the guy outside. “Do you think he hit her and he’s here to buy ‘sorry I bruised you’ flowers?”

“I hope not.”

“You should come over the next Sunday you’re free. Have lunch. My way of saying thank you.”

“I’d like that.” Flora loved having lunch at Julia’s even though the banter between her friend and her husband gave her the odd pang. No one knew her well enough to tease her.

“I’d invite you to stay over and have a night away from that apartment of yours, but you know we’re in very tight quarters. And trust me you do not want to share a bed with Kaitlin. Is your landlord still raising your rent?”

“Yes.” Flora felt a twinge of anxiety. She’d made a half-hearted attempt to look for somewhere else, but there was a depressing gap between what she’d like and what she could afford.

“And has he sorted out your cockroach?”

“Not yet. And I have more than one cockroach.”

Julia shuddered. “How can you be so relaxed?”

“I’m just pleased they have friends.”

“See that’s the difference between us. I think extermination, and you think cockroach dating service. Roach.com. Have you talked to him about it?”

“I sent him a strongly worded email.”

“And what did he say?”

“Nothing. He hasn’t replied.”

“And how long ago did you send it?”

“A month?”

“A month? Knowing you it said ‘Darling landlord, if it’s at all possible for you to sort out my damp apartment and the cockroach I’d be hugely grateful but don’t worry if it’s an inconvenience.’”

“I was firmer than that.” But not much firmer, and her words hadn’t had an impact.

“What about the damp? Has he found the cause?”

“He hasn’t looked. I’m worried because that suspicious damp stain on my ceiling is spreading.”

“Maybe your neighbor has died and his rotting corpse is slowly decomposing and leaking through into your apartment.”