Shane reached forward and hugged Alice who hugged her back before pulling back and ruffling her hair and asking “So Shane what do you think Howie really wants?”

“I don’t know Al but there’s one way to find out.” She said reaching over and grabbing the phone and the number she had written down earlier and handing it Alice.

“Hello”

“Howie? Is that you?  It’s Alice.”

“Alice, Hi! How are things?”

“Eh good thanks.  You said there was something important you wanted to talk to me about in your message.”

“Um yeah, look eh I think it would be better if I saw you in person.  Are you free this afternoon could we meet up?”

“Yeah I’m free.  You’re kind of freaking me out a little though.  Should I be worried?”

“No, not really eh where do you want to meet?  Are you still working from home?  Could I swing by your apartment?”

“Yeah sure that’s perfect.  Around two thirty suit you?”

“Yep that works for me I’ll see you then.”

Alice sat looking at Shane with a look of confusion on her face as the line went dead.  “What did he say Al?”

“He’s coming over this afternoon.  He said he wants to see me face to face.   When I asked if I should be worried he said not really.  What the fuck does that mean Shane?”

“I have no idea Alice but I’m sure you’ll find out later.  Listen I kind of have to get going I have a client in thirty minutes. Are you going to be ok on your own till he gets here?”

“Yeah I’ll be fine.  Thanks so much for being here this morning.  I’m really glad we talked”

“Me too, call me when you figure out what Howie wants.  You’re usually the nosy one but I have to say this has me intrigued!” Shane smirked.

Alice spent the time waiting for Howie to arrive cleaning her already sparkling apartment again.  When you’re life had a routine it was amazing how much got done.   Cleaning is probably a slightly inaccurate description of what Alice was doing.  Using any cleaning tool she could as a prop in her finely perfected air guitar routine as her stereo blasted summed it up a little better.  She was disturbed from her performance by loud banging on her door.  “Shit” she mumbled as she attempted to go one direction to turn off the stereo and the other direction to answer the door and ended up in a heap in the floor.  She picked herself up switching off the music and went to answer her door.