A wistfulness stole over her as she gazed around and noticed other couples together, wandering about in their twosomes and pausing to read the mermaid’s love-story. How come everyone else seemed to manage their relationships so easily? she wondered. And what was wrong with her that she’d never been able to relinquish herself to love and romance again?

I’m not scared of anything, she had told herself when Helena challenged her, but in truth she was scared, she realized now. She was so weak and frightened in fact that she had said no to every opportunity, every man who had come her way for years. It had taken her this long to recognize the reality: that she had hidden behind Amelia, that she had used her as an excuse. The strategy had seemed the best option at the time, but look at her now, all alone, while the rest of the world moved in their cosy little pairs around her. How would that ever change, unless she did?

She felt numb with the unhappy self-realization, frozen to the church floor, no longer sure what to do with herself. A couple walked by just then, so wrapped up in themselves they didn’t notice her there and the woman bumped against her. ‘Sorry,’ said Maggie automatically, but it seemed as if neither the woman nor her partner saw her even then. She was invisible. A total nobody. And suddenly she was sick of it always being this way.

‘I am here, you know,’ she said after their retreating backs. Either they didn’t hear her or they didn’t care, because neither of them turned back to respond.

Maggie was not a confrontational sort of person. Usually she would have absorbed the snub and moved on. But today something had got under her skin, because rather than scuttling away as she ordinarily would have done, she raised her voice and said the words again. ‘I am here, you know! I do exist!’

Now she had other people’s attention, but not in a good way. Heads turned and she was met with wary glances. Uh-oh. Crazy-lady alert, their expressions said. Quick, drop eye contact and let’s hope she goes away again. Nobody encourage her.

Cheeks flaming, hands curling defensively into fists, Maggie walked quickly towards the door and out of the church. Her own words kept ringing through her head like the breaking of an enchantment, though. I am here! I do exist!