‘What are you doing?’ whispered Jemima.

‘I’m communing with her aura,’ said Simi as she splayed her hands and began to rock.

‘FYI, when you commune with mine, it might go to voicemail. Just leave a message,’ Jemima said.

Meagan smirked.

‘Shush!’ said Simi, rolling and rocking even more, her banshee moans making Meagan giddy.

Simi’s voice seemed to be swirling around her, coming from all directions. Suddenly, Meagan felt Simi’s movements stop.

‘Well?’ Meagan said opening her eyes.

Simi starred back, her face expressionless.

‘You need a strong heart,’ she said.

‘Exactly. Don’t want him conking out halfway through bumping uglies,’ Meagan snorted going to stand.

‘No, Meag,’ said Simi pulling her back, ‘You know what I mean, like a strong box, that can hold you.’

‘Like a safe…’ ventured Jemima.

‘Sounds like a prison,’ Meagan said, this time making a concerted effort to loosen herself from Simi’s grasp.

She wobbled to her feet, steadying herself on her filing cabinet. Whatever Simi had done had made her feel – odd. And what was all this talk of hearts and safes. She already had safety – her plan. That’s how she was taking ownership of her life so no one could let her down again. And no matter what the other two thought, the plan wasn’t a response to Parker. It was about life, the world, how things were for a woman and what they had to do to protect themselves especially when you came from nothing. Meagan would never forget being placed on free lunches at school, wearing secondhand clothes and never being able to afford what her friends could. Far from being a burden, however, it was all fuel to her flame to ensure she was – and always would be – self-sufficient. All at once, Meagan became aware of the hush in the room.

Simi turned to Jemima. ‘From now on, when we look for Meagan, that’s what we have to find – a strong heart. Now, Meag, you do the same for Jemima.’

Meagan exhaled. ‘With all that wailing and rocking? No way, Sim. Not today.’

Simi pushed Meagan down until she was sitting on the floor again and cautiously Jemima sat opposite her looking as though she were about to have an anaesthetic-free tooth extraction.

‘Take Jemima’s hands,’ said Simi, sounding like a birthing coach.

‘Simi, is there any sense in which this might be overkill?’ said Meagan as she unceremoniously grabbed hold of Jemima.

‘No.’

Meagan closed her eyes and huffed, taking a deep breath. Instantly her mind flooded with images of trees, acres and acres of them in a forest. She sprung her eyes open.

‘Don’t tell me,’ said Jemima, her eyes still squeezed closed. ‘I need a millionaire with his own publishing company.’

‘Shush,’ instructed Simi. ‘Meagan, what did you see?’

‘I don’t think I’m doing it right,’ said Meagan, uncertain. ‘All I saw was a bunch of trees.’

Simi nodded sagely, ‘That’s what you said at the skating rink.’

‘Yeah but I was joking.’