She searched Simi’s face for a sign, but this time, her expression was unreadable.

‘What do you want from me, Sim?’ said Meagan throwing up her arms in frustration.

‘I don’t know!’ Simi said. ‘Just, stop. Stop… pretending to know everything and how to do everything… Stop acting like you don’t need anyone, that you can do it all yourself. Everyone needs someone. You are a beautiful, capable, intelligent, generous black woman but no one said you have to do it all alone. Everyone around you wants to support you but you never let us in. Not me, Jem, Todd, anyone! If you don’t need us, why do you even have us in your life!’

‘It’s not that simple. I’ve been on my own since I was 16. I relied on someone once and they let me down. Never again,’ Meagan said, her body tightening as memories crowded her.

‘Meagan,’ said Simi, a firmness in her voice, ‘Parker was a married man. You were too young to understand but he wasn’t yours to rely on. You must see that.’

Meagan trembled at the mention of his name. But as much as she wanted to scream, Simi’s words were true. Parker was never hers and she’d got burned not because of what he had done but because of what she’d expected. And after, she’d re-orientated her whole life because of that.

‘I don’t know how to do it any other way,’ said Meagan, ‘I don’t know how to let people in.’

‘There is no how. You just allow the people waiting to be there for you, to be there for you,’ Simi said reaching out to Meagan.

As Simi’s words sunk in, Meagan’s noble island, which she’d dwelled on for so long, began to feel like a lone mass drifting out to sea. Unable to sustain her remoteness anymore, Meagan collapsed into Simi’s arms, each clinging to the other for dear life.

‘I’m scared, Sim,’ sobbed Meagan.

Simi enveloped her arms around her. ‘That’s why I’m here.’

And with that, Meagan let go fully, falling into Simi’s kind embrace.

An hour into her newfound vulnerability, Meagan was still finding her feet. One thing she was sure of, to make this journey she needed Simi by her side. And as she looked around her sparse office, she realised, friendship was the only thing she had ever needed. But now she and Simi had begun to get themselves onto an even keel, it was time to get down to business.

‘So my legal team will be getting in touch with Jemima tomorrow,’ she began, reaching for the paperwork her solicitor had left with her.

‘You and Todd are really going to sue her?’

Meagan laughed drily. Was there any other option? The punishment had to fit the crime.

‘Well, Todd bailed but two plaintiffs are still enough,’ Meagan continued.

Simi looked at her confused. ‘Two?’

‘Yeah. Me and you.’

‘But—’

Annoyance brew within. Did Meagan once again have to explain why this was not just necessary but justice.