Maddy smiled because that was the correct response. Because everything was objectively fine again.
The wedding was back on. Everything would proceed exactly as planned.
She nodded. ‘Right. Good. That’s… good!’ Her voice sounded distant to her own ears.
***
Sue the plumber and her young protege arrived in thirty-five minutes. The ceiling was opened up, examined, and declared salvageable.
Eva hovered just enough to ensure everything was done properly, then stepped back at exactly the right moments.
Maddy stood at the edge of it all, arms folded, smiling when appropriate, nodding when spoken to. Inside, something was tightening.
Because she’d seen that leak and been fucking thrilled.
***
By the time Sue was packing up, leaving behind a temporarily ugly but structurally sound ceiling, it was done.
The manager thanked her.
‘Don’t thank me until the bill comes,’ Sue told him brightly. ‘Speaking of which, I know a plasterer who will drop everything to repair your ceiling tonight. Shall I send him?’
The manager sighed. ‘I suppose he’s expensive too?’
‘God, yeah. He’s a ruthless bastard, but he can’t half plaster.’
They watched her leave. And then there was nothing left to fix.
Ralph gave everyone a nod. ‘See you tomorrow!’ He scuttled off.
‘God, all that leaking water has made me need the biggest pee!’ Jen said and ran off to find a bathroom.
Suddenly, Maddy was alone in the corridor with Eva. Maddy leaned lightly against the wall. ‘You did it again,’ she said.
‘Did what?’
‘Fixed everything.’
Eva shrugged. ‘That’s the job.’
‘No,’ Maddy said softly. ‘It’s more than that.’
Eva looked down.
Maddy watched her. ‘You don’t leave room for anything to go wrong.’
Eva dragged her dark eyes back up to meet Maddy’s. ‘That’s generally considered a positive trait in my line of work,’ she said glibly.
Maddy folded her arms tightly. ‘Yes. I’m sure it is.’
Silence stretched, and in it, Maddy realised something. She was like the burst pipe. She’d been trying to ignore a build-up of something, and that’s what caused the problem. But it could be fixed. There was only one person who could repair it, and she was tensing right in front of Maddy right now.
‘About the kiss,’ Maddy said.
Eva’s shoulders tensed. ‘We already covered that,’ she said, a little too quickly. ‘Bad idea. Won’t happen again.’
Maddy tilted her head. ‘Whydidit happen, though?’
