The Visitor Who Stayed Too Long

Lena enjoyed having her old university friend stay for weekends. Max was funny, cooked excellent breakfasts and always remembered to bring coffee. Recently, however, his Friday visits had begun lasting until Tuesday. Lena worked from home and found it hard to concentrate with another person nearby.

Before his next visit, she decided to be clear. She wrote that she would love to see him from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon. Max replied with a joke about being thrown out. Lena felt tempted to soften her message, but she knew that doing so would only create the same problem again.

She explained that she needed the flat to herself during the working week. It was not a comment on how much she valued their friendship. Max admitted that he had assumed her flexible hours meant company was always welcome. He booked his return ticket for Sunday.

The weekend was better than Lena expected. Because the time was limited, they planned a long walk and actually visited the small museum they always talked about. On Sunday, Max washed the breakfast dishes before leaving. At the door, he asked which weekend would suit her next month. Lena checked her calendar without the familiar feeling of worry. She could look forward to his company because she knew when she would have quiet again.