Me: Look at my darling Big Brave Beautiful Boy. Isn’t he the handsomest hound you ever saw?
Nell: David is not a hound. He’s a pedigree Labrador.
Me: He’s gorgeous.
Nell: You’re up early again.
Me: Yes. Kev’s still not well.
Nell: Oh dear.
Me: He went to see the doctor yesterday and they’ve had to put him on another course of antibiotics but they have nasty side effects.
Nell: He must be very tired of all this.
Me: He’s absolutely exhausted.
Nell: David seems a little exhausted, too.
Me: He’s just fed up with it all. He doesn’t like it when someone is ill. Especially Kev.
Nell: None of us do.
Me: I’m hoping Nigel might lift Kev’s spirits.
Nell: Nigel?
Me: Yes. He’s coming to visit us for the weekend.
Nell: A visit from Nigel wouldn’t lift my spirits.
Me: We all know that, Nell. You made your feelings quite clear when you were still with us.
Nell: I am still with you.
Me: You know what I mean.
Nell: Have you been feeding Kev fish?
Me: Not every day. We had a delicious vegetarian pasta courtesy of Stanley Smoochy with lots of garlic and courgettes.
Nell: Garlic and courgettes? The man needs meat.
Me: James Beddall won’t like you saying that.
Nell: It’s true.
Me: Herr Hoffmann is taking Frau Hoffmann to the cinema this evening so we’re having a Chinese takeaway and I expect Kev will choose his favourite beef dish.
Nell: Beef in black bean sauce?
Me: You know him so well.
Nell: Don’t let David use chopsticks again, please. You know the mess he makes.
Me: But he loves it so much, Nell, and it makes me laugh.
Nell: Just because it makes you laugh doesn’t mean David should do it.
Me: No. Sorry.
