Why hadn’t she read the character description? If she had, she’d have known about the scenes of a sexual nature and that a doxy was a prostitute! As Simi read and reread the Google definition on her phone, the blood drained from her cheeks. She had based her entire audition on the idea that a doxy was some kind of medieval clown. No wonder Antonia had looked at her like she was crazy when she started juggling mid-scene. Simi stopped and look around her. Across the street was a building she knew only too well. Oscar’s office. This is where her feet had carried her. As workers scurried in and out, making their lunchtime dash, she knew she shouldn’t be here. She knew it but she also knew that one brief glance of him, even if it was from a distance, would make her feel better. That’s what they did. She’d feel crummy after an audition and he’d say something sweet to take the crumminess away. Tears brimmed as she realised that was gone forever. Just as Simi felt the first sob about to rock her, a flash of yellow and red across the street caught her eye. She scuttled out of view, peering from behind a wall. It was Oscar. Nausea bubbled in her stomach. Instinctively she raised a hand to wave but then stopped. It had only been three days since she’d seem him but he looked… different. She watched him chain up his bike as another cyclist pulled up beside him, lassoing their ride to the same rail. Simi knew Oscar liked a lunchtime ride but he’d never mentioned a riding buddy. The other cyclist was even skinnier than Oscar and as he whipped off his helmet, auburn hair cascaded down his back and Simi realised he was a she. Simi raised her hand again. But as she did, Oscar put his arm around his companion’s waist. Simi’s mind raced and just as she had convinced herself they were simply overly tactile colleagues, they leaned in and kissed. Simi stumbled back as, across the street, Oscar pulled a paper bag from his pannier and he and his… lover shared a red velvet cupcake.

Simi sagged against the wall, its cool, hard surface barely keeping her upright. There was nothing to gain from looking again but she just had to. She turned back but they were gone. She scoured the street left and right. Immediately, her mind tried to explain it all away. With so much passing traffic could she be sure it was Oscar? Plus she was exhausted and was due an eye test. But she knew what she had seen. First she was numb then embarrassed. This had been happening right under her nose but she had so wanted her relationship to be something it wasn’t, she hadn’t seen what it was. Simi became aware of the stickiness of tears on her cheeks. How many more times was she going to feel this way? Heartbroken over him. Not Oscar but all the hims. The Jasons, The Ades and the Azads. All of them had led her to the same place – tear-stained and devastated. This needed to change; she needed to do something and whatever that was, it would start today. She had major league man problems and she needed to bring in the big guns. She pounded out a WhatsApp message to Meagan and Jemima.