With decided affectation, the other Marianne sighed and turned away once more.
“To tell you the truth, I’ve been struggling a little.”
In her chest, Deanna felt her heart break, a tremendous desire to reach out across the years, across the distance that had sprung up between them.
Oh, me too, she wanted to declare.
“The rent here isn’t cheap,” the other Marianne said in a dejected, sort of childish voice, “and I’ve been struggling to make ends meet what with corona, what with Brexit, and all that.”
Deanna swallowed hard, feeling suddenly frozen, aware of what the conversation was about to become, but not wanting to believe it.
“I think we’ve all been feeling the pinch lately,” she said weakly.
“It’s different,” the other Marianne said sharply, the faint suggestion of annoyance in he
