"Now what on Earth was that about?" Asked Debbie as soon as the coffee shop was empty again.

"What?" Said David innocently, though he already knew it wasn't going to make a lick of difference. Nothing deterred Deb once she set her mind to something.

"David." Debbie tutted as she crossed her arms, "You really ought to know better by now than to play ignorance act with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about. That conversation with Eleanor? She was in a real state when she left."

"She was?" Asked David, worry all too detectable in his voice.

"Yes. What happened?" Asked Debbie as she uncrossed her arms.

"Well, uh..." David tried to collect his thoughts. "Jasper isn't her boyfriend." Debbie clasped her hands together, and David hestiated a moment before mumbling, "Actually, Jasper is not human at all, it turns out. He's a dog."

"Oh!" Said Deb, not quite successful at hiding the laughter in her eyes, "So Jasper was that sweet spaniel tied up outside?"

"Yes..."

"You see!" Deb playfully whacked David's arm, "I said so, didn't I? Must've just been a coincidence, that fella glancing in at the same time. Bless your cotton socks David."

David could feel the red blotch blossoming on his face, "Yes well, thank you Debbie, I realise that now."

Debbie shook her head with a laugh, "A dog! You silly goose, you knew she's a dog walker as well." Debbie reminded him. "If only you'd looked for more than a moment, all your worry could've been halved."

David sighed, knowing that the ribbing was likely deserved for his great leap of assumption which had caused misery of his own making.

Then, as the humour of it became more apparent to him, he gave a small chuckle as he shook his head. "You're not wrong Deb, you're not wrong. Serves me right for overthinking it all."

"Well," Debbie reassured him, "Love can make people think queerly sometimes."

Instead of ignoring her comment like usual, David spoke up, "'Love' is a bit of a strong word for it, don't you think Deb? I admit, I have a crush on Eleanor, and I really, really like her. But I don't know that it's Love just yet. We haven't even gone on a date for goodness sake!"

Deb had a knowing glint in her eye, but she conceeded, "Alright, perhaps I have been a bit strong on the teasing. I'm sorry honey."

"Thank you, Deb." Said David with visible relief.

She gave a nod of acknowledgement, before enquiring, "I don't get it though. If you sorted out this misunderstanding, then why was Eleanor looking so embarrassed?"

David let out an exhale before quickly detailing his conversation with Eleanor. Debbie nodded as she listened, though she didn't seem particularly surprised by any of it.

In honesty, it wouldn't be unexpected to David if he learned than Deb had already heard it all by eavesdropping from the other room. He was quite sure now that particular past-time was how Debbie filled her time on Thursday when she quietly slipped away when Eleanor was present. Deb was a meddler through and through, but not of the malicious sort.

"I see, poor dear." Deb said at last. "She must have been quite nervous about it." Her face took on a suggestive, scheming expression, "It is interesting that she took such pains to make sure you knew that Jasper wasn't a guy, hmm?"

"Deb." Now it was David's turn to cross him arms, "Firstly, you can stop pretending you didn't hear it all. I know you slip away and eavesdrop when Eleanor comes in," Deb's sheepish smile confirmed his suspicions, "and secondly, you need to dial it down. Eleanor's lovely, but you need to stop assuming or projecting or whatever how she feels. We just talk, it's not like she's flirting with me or whatever. So I'm asking you, please, don't. It gets my hopes up only to dash them again."

Debbie took a few moments to progress his words, nodding as she thought it over, "Very well, that's fair enough. I'm sorry for meddling, you two sweethearts are just so wholesome to observe though. But I won't push it anymore, I'll try to be less," she gestured, "about it."

"And you'll stop eavesdropping on our conversations?"

"I'll try not to."

"Deb..."

"Fine!" She threw up her hands. The door dinged as new customer entered, "But for the record, if you don't think she's flirting with you... you're more oblivious than I thought."

"Deb!" David exclaimed, all the while trying to squash the flare of hope her words gave him.

She made a zipping motion over her lips as she moved to the coffee machine and David turned to greet the confused-looking customer.