"Well then, who's your young lady friend you've got there, Tom?" she asked with a smile. "I haven't seen you bring anyone else here, normally just the other officers you're with." With a slight sigh, Page explained: "My friends from university all still stay on Cambridge, so I'm normally at one of our places there when we meet up. As for Melanie, she's an... acquaintance of mine. This is the first time I've met her face-to-face, but I suppose defending against centuries of pent-up aggression together can build something of a bond."
"She seems nice Tom, but something is troubling her from what I can see."
"That's why I'm here. Thanks again, mi- eh, Christy."
Sitting down, Page laid the crockery onto the table, he looked towards Tyler while passing over a china cup. Now that she was inside and seemed to have gotten comfortable, her regular happy demeanour had returned somewhat.
"I assumed you'd prefer coffee, but can get you something else if you like. I've also got us a plate of cupcakes and scones, which are lovely no matter the occasion. And, of course, tea for me," he finished with a gesture to the large Cambridge University mug he was holding. "As I was about to say outside, it's no problem me coming down to see you. I get a bit more time off as a Sergeant than I did starting out, and meeting you is... a fairly good use of my time," Page said with a shy smile, before taking a sip of tea. "Of course, any excuse to come to Christy's is welcome in my books."
Peeling off the paper casing from one of the cupcakes, Page got back to the main topic at hand, "So, about this message of yours..."
