Ripley's Return

Trip preparations

"Do you want something to drink?" Grace asked after a while. "Yeah, gladly," said Peter and Tom at the same time and laughed. Melly had already taken something herself. "Do you already have trip plans?", Peter finally asked into the silence. "No, not that I know," Tom looked at Melly, who nodded furtively. "If not, we could make a trip to Loughgall tomorrow, the place is not far from here and beautiful. There is a large park with a lake surrounded by willow trees. On the big meadow, we could have a picnic. What do you say?" "Oh, that's a wonderful idea, Peter," Tom replied. He's really the romantic guy from next door,  he thought, you could not help but fall in love with him. "Yeah, I think it would be nice again to go into the fresh air, as long as the days are still beautiful" It was already late summer, almost autumn, and the leaves already began to discolor and fall from the trees."Great, Grace! Then I'll start packing right away, it will be so nice if the weather stays as it is today" "We need a picnic blanket, a basket ...", Peter was already in his element. "He's really working on the preparations," Tom said to Melly in astonishment."I totally agree. It was a great idea of ​​you to visit Peter, Tom. At home, I would probably already have become bored, because there are always the same things to do. What are you working actually?" "I worked as an accountant in America after graduation and now I'm looking for a new job." "Ah, would you want to do something like that again?" "Not necessarily as an accountant again, but it should have something to do with maths. That would be my only wish because that is one of my few abilities. It was the only subject at school where I knew everything from the beginning until the end of my school career, and even though languages ​​and other cultures are just as interesting to me, I was only half as good." "Oh, I really have no idea about maths. The numbers confuse me. The only thing I can do is mental arithmetic with integers." "Everyone has their own talent, I guess yours is playing the piano, isn't it?" "Exactly, do you think Peter still has his piano?"

"Yeah, well, I think I ran into it when I was mistaken about the room at night, and instead of going to the bathroom I was opening the door of the attic - well, it was not directly at the attic, but in front of it - at the staircase." "Ah, that looks like him." "Oh, how do you mean that?" "Even then he had a habit of stowing his things in unexpected places" "You know more than me, that's probably because you've known him for ages." I wish I knew him better, he thought, but he does not know much about me and my past either."That's true," Melly replied, "Do you know that Peter was not always so open to anything and everyone? He did not out himself until the time I spoke to him, whether we should be meeting for a coffee. And he said to me, 'If that's an allusion to a date, I have to pass, because I'm not interested in women, you know?' Since then, I have resigned myself to it and find it not that bad at all" "I like that," and inwardly he thought that Melly had feelings for Peter was no wonder, as charming as he is.