The screen came alive as he pulled off his shoes, but rather than a spoken note left, it was a written one. That meant Jaron, as the younger man did not like the electronic interpretation of his modulated, artificial voice. It was a brief apology, remarking with regret that Grainger imagined between the lines of text though there was no voice to support the interpretation, that he could not be there tonight and did not know when he would be back. A friend had taken ill and needed someone to stay with them. Jaron would check in as he could and bid Grainger not to worry. He signed off his message with ‘affectionately’, making Grainger smile.