Sprung

The engineer invited me to coffee every week, and soon I was looking forward to seeing which outfit she would wear, what scripture she would shoehorn into our small talk, at what new thing about the world of the prince of darkness she would turn up her shapely nose.

Once, after a spell of meeting twice a week, she said at our parting that we would meet again in seven days. For the first time in a long time, I knew the sting of disappointment.