Helen Yeah. Propertied classes me. So, what you going to do to me? Firebomb through the letterbox? Picket the entryphone. Or maybe you’re going to kidnap / me and do all sorts of terrible things to me?

Nick No. No. No. I’ve changed.

Helen Well good.

Nick I really want to change out of these clothes. I think I might get ’flu or something.

Helen Nick –

Nick Maybe if I just –

Helen I haven’t got time for this.

Nick starts to take off his clothes.

Helen Nick.

Nick There’s no ring. You’re not / married.

Helen No.

Nick I think that’s a good choice. Not to tie yourself down like that. Keep your independence. Play the field a bit when you fancy it. I think that’s a really good choice you’ve made there.

Helen There was someone.

Nick Right.

Helen For a few years but in the end she moved.

Nick She?

Helen Yes. She moved to America.

Nick Really? / She?

Helen She’s in computing. I still get the odd card from Silicon Valley.

Nick So you’re a … ? What? You’re …

Helen There’s been a few blokes / as well.

Nick Right. Right. You still look great.

Helen I look middle-aged. I am middle-aged.

Nick No, you’re… So, nobody actually around at the moment?

Helen Maybe. No … It’s none of your business actually is it?

Nick No toy boy in the bedroom? No lady wrestlers behind the sofa?

Helen Yeah. But they all hid when they heard the door go. Which doesn’t mean I’m up for it, okay?

Nick I wasn’t asking.

Helen Alright. Just in case you were thinking of… Don’t.

Nick Alright then.

Helen You’re going to have to put those on again. I’ve got a meeting and I’m already running late.

Nick Yeah.

Helen You caught me on my way to a meeting.

Nick What sort of meeting?

Helen Council meeting. I’m a councillor.

Nick Yeah?

Helen Yes. Nowadays I’m a councillor, hence …

Nick Smart clothes.

Helen Hence smart clothes. Look. There’s some jeans and a T-shirt Finnoula left. She was quite a big girl. You can have them.

Nick I need somewhere to stay.

Helen Oh.

Nick I’m sort of stuck and I need somewhere to stay and I thought you might just put me up until …

Helen I’m sorry Nick.

Nick For a short time.

Helen No.

Nick Why?

Helen Because I don’t want to. Because I don’t want you here.

Nick I did it for you.

Helen Fuck off.

Nick I did it because you wanted me to.

Helen What is this bollocks? This is bollocks.

Nick You said: ‘That Bastard is the scum of the earth and someone should kill that bastard.’

Helen We all said that stuff. We said rubbish / like that all the time.