Stevie bounced barefoot into the kitchen. She'd changed into a pale pink T-shirt, and denim miniskirt.

'What are you looking at?' The teenager's hands were on her hips, and her head cocked at an angle, almost challenging the older woman.

'I sometimes forget you're only…' Penny caught herself in time, and continued, 'that you're almost nineteen.' But you look even younger, she thought.

'That smells nice,' Stevie said, strolling to Penny's side, and imspecting the pans heating on the hub.

'It's just something quick.' Looping and arm around Stevie's waist, Penny asked why she'd spent such a long time in the shower.'

'I shaved,' she answered, adding in a conspiratorial whisper, 'everything.'

'There's more hair on egg, than you.' Stevie's drive to eliminate body hair bordered on the obsessive.

Fearing another lecture Stevie changed the subject, 'you really like cooking don't you?' Distracted by a pot that needed stirring, Penny could only nod. 'So, from now on if you do the cooking, I'll do all the housework.'

'And how long are you planning to stay?' Penny arched an eyebrow, while struggling to keep a straight face.

'For always,' Stevie said, staring up through her eyelashes, adding hurriedly, 'if it's OK with you, that is.'

Putting the spoon aside, Penny wrapped both arms around the little brunette. 'Like I could ever let you go,' she said, drawing Stevie closer. 'May I ask you question?' Eagerly Stevie nodded, while burrowing deeper into Penny's embrace.

'I really want to kiss you now,' Penny said, 'but if I do, are you likely to... erm... explode in your panties again?'

'Not a chance,' Stevie said with a smirk, 'I'm wearing a pair of yours.'

'Monkey!' Penny lifted the miniskirt to reveal red lace briefs. Resisting the urge to squeeze the pert little bottom, instead she asked Stevie to set the table.

'Ms Hawker would have spanked me.' Stevie's pout was precious.

*****

'So help me, I swear you're doing it on purpose, Bel!' Bob set the teacup down beside the biscuits, frowning before asking, 'should I ask Stevie to write down instructions?'

'Stevie, Stevie, Stevie, she's so bloody wonderful, isn't she?' Belinda snapped, but instantly regretted criticising the girl.

'There's no denying that,' Bob told his fiancée reflectively, 'if she's not translating, or first aiding,, she's finding unnecessary business expense.'

'But she's very young, Bob, do you think she's up to both jobs?' Belinda asked, before turning away.

'If any one can teach you how to make tea, she's the one,' Bob said gruffly, 'hey where are you going?'

'To stand in the corner,' his PA said over her shoulder, 'so you can stare at my bum, and remember who you're marrying.'

*****

After loading the dishwasher, Stevie stomped into the living room, and flopped down onto the sofa beside Penny, who was bent over her laptop.

'Are you still working?' Stevie asked in an exasperated tone, and punched her friend softly in the shoulder.

'We've got this employee,' Penny answered without looking up, 'who we know nothing about. Except the usual insane number of GCSEs.'

'Doesn't everyone have sixteen?' Stevie asked innocuously, but she could see by Penny's frown she wanted more. Carrying on in a bright voice she asked, 'what do you want to know. You are talking about me, aren't you?'

Penny mumbled something about only having eight GCSEs, before asking where Stevie had learnt first aid.

'In the Scouts,' Stevie said, 'but I did a bit more for the Duke of Ed.'

'Gold, no doubt,' Penny ticked a box on her computer, 'I bet you were head girl too.'

'Deputy head boy,' Stevie said, looking embarrassed, 'I didn't play any team sports.'

Penny put an arm around her shoulder, and told her that she didn't either. Not wanting to seem like she was interrogating the girl, Penny kissed her cheek, and gave her a squeeze, before asking about A-levels.

'Only five!' Penny started, 'I'd have thought you'd have at least ten.'

'When I got the unconditional offer from King's, I dropped all the silly subjects.' Does that sound like bragging, Stevie asked herself.

'London?' Fifteen years since Penny had taken her A-levels, but even then unconditional offers were almost unheard of.

'Cambridge,' Stevie said softly, adding a barely audible, 'and a year in Paris.'

'Seriously?' Penny stared at the younger woman, before asking, 'you gave that up to work in Accounts?'

'I wanted to be Stevie,' the girl answered. She'd been asked this very question by almost everybody Steve knew. But how could he have explained, without revealiing his darkest secret?

Meeting someone who'd given up a golden opportunity was completely beyond Penny's experience. But she could see, how much Stevie hurt to talk about it.

'So that's five A Grades then?' Penny asked as matter of factly as she could.

'Five A*s,' Stevie whispered, blushing deeply as she did so.

*****

'But I can read German and Russian much better than I can speak them,' Stevie said, after Penny had coaxed her back into the conversation. 'And I only really started Japanese a few months ago.'

'So you can understand seven languages, but you're only fluent in four?' Penny shook her head, and thought the girl is a bloody genius, and she's embarrassed by it.

But what would it to be like to be so uniquely gifted a communicator, yet have no one talk to about a hidden part of her life. What was that old song?

'She's leaving home after living alone for so many years,' Penny sang softly, almost absently.

'What was that?' Stevie asked, intrigued.

'Just an old song,' Penny replied.

'What is it with people and old songs today?' Stevie took the laptop, and brought up the Youtube page with Tall Paul's latest tribute.

'Oh God, he really loves you,' Penny said, while wiping away a tear.

'And I was so horrible to him,' Stevie sniffed. 'But I've promised to help him find a girl just like me.'

'There aren't any girls just like you,' Penny laughed, dragging Stevie closer.

'Is your hand supposed to be up my skirt?' Stevie asked sometime later.

'I'm just checking on my pair of panties,' Penny answered.

'You're being very thorough,' Stevie chuckled, as the woman's hands roamed over her.

'Would you prefer I send in Ms Hawker? Don't answer the that!' Penny laughed.

'Hold on,' she started again, 'have you really never heard "she's leaving home" by the Beatles?'

'Mum and dad like to listen to Spandau Ballet. Is that the same sort of thing?' Stevie tried to re-engage in their kiss, but Penny looked appalled.

'I don't really listen to music,' she said, almost apologetically. And admitted when Penny pressed, about contents of her iPod, it was filled with language courses, and audiobooks.

'Yay! I know something Stevie doesn't,' Penny sang, and took the laptop back.

Within minutes iTunes loaded, and Penny cued an album. 'You'll like this,' she said as "Michelle ma belle" began, and pulled Stevie to her feet.

'Let's dance,' said the personnel head, 'we've got to dance.'

Hours later, when an exhausted Stevie lay in Penny's arms, she was sure she heard her dancing partner murmur, 'God only knows, what I'd be without you.'

*****