And that is when she started going on about Jerome. How he had made her feel suffocated, how he was all-encompassing. How seventy per cent of the time she was unhappy. His tendency towards being possessive of her, constantly suggesting that she didn’t love him as much as he loved her. She said that you couldn’t quantify love and asked me what constituted the concept of love? I told her I didn’t know.

But I did know that in order for my happiness to be fulfilled, I required Jenny to love me with the same intensity that I loved her. I realized then that I had to keep the conversation light, so I changed the subject and began to ask her about her work, encouraging her to talk about it. She explained she felt that she was really only in the developmental stage of things and still had a long way to go. I was surprised by her lack of confidence, especially after being in the group show in Lennox Street, and how well things seemed to have gone for her over the last year. I encouraged her to talk about textiles, mediums and contrasts. I was enjoying myself getting an insight into her artistic mind because, even though she felt that she was only setting out, she had talent. It was attractive in Jenny – this ability to speak succinctly about her art. It seemed to bring out her passion and she made me feel as though the beach had been filled with colour, once again.

I leaned over to Jenny, there on the sand, and I grasped her two hands together in my palms, as if she was a child shivering on a cold day. Her beautiful artist’s hands. She looked away over to Killiney Hill. A grey mist hung heavily on the vast slope.

I assured her that if she had agreed to go out with Angela then that is exactly what she should do. I told her how relaxed I was about two girls going out alone. I said I was mature about stuff like that and I couldn’t understand why some guys might have a problem with it. Nonetheless I advised her not to walk by the block of flats near Stephen’s Green on her way back to Camden Lane. She held a lock of hair between her thumb and her forefinger and swivelled it in ripple-like movements. It was a habit that I had learnt to enjoy watching her perform.

But underneath it all, I was worried about who she would meet aside from Angela and I said words to that effect.

Next thing, you’ll be telling me that Jerome is joining you, I said.