‘I’m here for you if ever you want to talk about it.’

‘Thank you. It means a lot.’ Especially since Dave clearly didn’t care.

*

Back home that evening, Alison found Dave sprawled on the sofa in front of the TV, shouting at the football and guzzling lager. The house smelled of the lasagne she’d prepared the night before. Had he actually taken the initiative and put it in the oven? Wow! Wonders would never cease.

‘I’m home,’ she said, when he didn’t look up. ‘Did you have a good day?’

Dave punched his fist in the air. ‘Thank you, ref! Told you that was offside.’

She coughed loudly.

‘Did you get my lager?’ he asked, eyes still glued to the TV.

‘No. Was I supposed to?’

‘I texted you. Told you to get a case on your way home.’

‘I didn’t get a text.’

He sat upright, jaw clenched. ‘Jesus, Ali! You’re winding me up, right?’

She shook her head. ‘Why didn’t you go on your way home?’

‘Because you always do the shopping. This is my last one.’ He took a final glug from his can then crushed it and dropped it onto the threadbare carpet. ‘I can’t watch the footy without a drink.’

She hesitated in the doorway. Stay? Go? Either way, she’d ruined his evening and he’d be in a foul mood for days. In all honesty, she couldn’t bear to be near him right now. The old Dave would have held her while she sobbed and reassured her that he was her family and he’d never leave her. But the old Dave had barely been around for the last four years.

‘I’ll go now if you like,’ she said, trying to sound cheerful.

He’d already turned back to the TV. ‘Damn right you will,’ he snapped. ‘You can take the van,’ he added in a gentler tone, as though he was doing her a huge favour. ‘And you might want to get something for your tea while you’re there.’

‘What about the lasagne?’

‘I’ve eaten it.’

Alison’s eyes widened. ‘All of it? That was four portions.’

‘Shoot! No! You pussy. You kick like a girl.’

Her throat tightened. Had he forgotten or was it simply that he didn’t care anymore? She wasn’t sure which was worse.

Thirty minutes later, Alison sat in Dave’s van in a deserted corner of the supermarket car park and prised open the flap on a five-pack of custard doughnuts. Saliva filled her mouth as she breathed in the sweet vanilla scent.