“…What are you doing?”
I look down at the cloth in my hand and then back at her.
“Cleaning.”
She stares at me for a moment as if she’s trying to work out whether this is a joke.
Then she asks, very carefully, “Why?”
I gesture around the room.
“Because apparently we either work with animals or people who can’t read.”
She follows my finger.
Above the sink is the laminated sign somebody printed six months ago.
PLEASE LOAD YOUR OWN MUG INTO THE DISHWASHER.
There are little pictures and somebody added smiley faces underneath at some point. I’m not convinced it helped.
Chloe looks at the sign, looks at me, then slowly turns to take in the suspiciously tidy kitchen.
Her mouth twitches.
Just as she opens it to say something, the kitchen door swings open.
Ben from Sports walks in.
“Mate. Chloe.”
He gives us both a nod, walks straight to the sink carrying a plate covered in crumbs, abandons it in the middle of the freshly cleaned sink and turns around again.
He gives us a final nod as he struts out of the kitchen again.
Neither of us says anything for a second.
Chloe watches him leave.
Then she looks at me.
I look at the plate, then back at Chloe.
“Animals," she sighs.
“Thank you!”
I take one step towards it.
She immediately says, “No.”
I stop and look at her.
“Marie Louise wants to see you immediately.”
“What about?”
Chloe shrugs. “No idea.”
