There’s a long pause.
Should I be offended that she has to think about it?
“Are you on the run from the cops?” she laughs.
“Not that I know of.”
“That’s disappointing,” she yawns.
Vonnie loves a little drama.
“Maybe next time,” I offer. “Hey, uh… I need to borrow your tent.”
I hear a dramatic sigh through the speaker.
“My what?”
“You know that mountain tent with the removable cover? The one you bought to impress the guy who moved to Perth?”
I struggle to remember his name.
Darren? Aaron?
Vonnie groans.
“You woke me up so you can steal my camping equipment?”
“Borrow.”
I hear the shuffle of curtains.
“Cheeky shit,” she mutters under her breath. “I’m guessing that’s your Ford Ranger parked across the street?”
I wave.
She’s not impressed.
“Come back with coffee. And a…”
“Boston cream donut. I'm on it. See you in ten.”
???
Her front door swings open before I even touch it.
She greets me wearing stripey satin shorts and a faded Care Bear shirt.
A large green bag with a zipper sits behind her in the hallway.
She leans against the door frame, snatching her caffeine fix from me.
“Can't afford your apartment anymore, so you're gonna live in a tent?”
“Nah. Just trekking out to the boonies for a few days.”
She rubs the sleep from her eyes, not quite sure if she's misheard me.
“Mr Double Shot Flat White is goingwhere?”
