The banter slipped from his features and his left shoulder began to rise.
“Nothing for you to worry about. Just ... some ... friction.”
She took her right hand from under the covers and reached over and caught his.
“Is it me?”
His eyes met hers and he increased his pressure on the hand.
“No! You can’t cause everything, Salscie!”
Then he rose abruptly.
“I’d better get back, though. Also I’ll make a survey of the knife and fork situation. That pack of cigarettes will be gone by tonight, won’t it?”
She lay back among the pillows and nodded slowly.
Cub beat his way through the singing air and closed the door securely behind him.