‘What did they come to the hotel for?’

‘I don’t know.’

Neil looked over and smiled. He nudged Debbie and suddenly the two of them were heading their way. Oh Christ.

Davey jumped to his feet. The men faced off.

Neil put out his hand to shake Davey’s. ‘Sorry for your loss, Davey.’

Davey shook Neil’s hand. ‘That’s very kind of you.’ There was tension between the two men but ultimately Davey was a small cog in the wheel of the car crash that was his marriage, and Neil was a decent man and also clearly happy.

‘So sorry,’ Debbie said to Davey and shook his hand a little too vigorously.

She turned to Marjorie. ‘Hello.’ She put out her hand. It was their first time meeting.

‘Hello,’ Marjorie said, and shook her hand.

‘I’m really sorry about your best friend.’

Marjorie burst into tears. Debbie tried to hug her and it was all a bit awkward – Debbie was tentative, Marjorie recoiled slightly and then there was that big belly between them. Marjorie tapped Debbie on the back and pulled away.

‘Thank you,’ she said, and she meant it. Now please go away.

‘We’re going to go,’ Neil said.

Davey and Marjorie both nodded. He moved to walk away but turned at the last second.

‘I wish you both luck,’ he said and, putting his arm around his pregnant partner, they walked away. Davey turned to Marjorie and sat back down.

‘Don’t say anything,’ she said.

He hunched his shoulders. ‘I wasn’t going to say anything.’

She drained the glass. ‘Good.’

‘I’m going out with the lads for a drink later, you want to come?’

‘No.’

‘They’re your friends too, Marjorie.’

‘No they’re not. I was always outside of that world.’

‘Not true.’

‘It is true, Davey, and it’s OK. I never really cared.’

‘I don’t want you to be alone.’

She stood up, leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. ‘See ya, Davey.’

He grabbed her hand. ‘Don’t go.’

‘Goodnight,’ she said, and she walked away.

She met Molly in the hotel lobby. She was sitting alone on a chaise longue.

‘You going home, love?’ she said, and Marjorie nodded.

‘Shit day,’ Molly said.

‘The worst.’

‘You’ve lost Rabbit, Marjorie, and I know how close you were, but you have the rest of your life to live.’

‘That’s the word on the street.’

Molly smiled a little.

‘Shit day,’ Molly said again.

‘The worst.’

The taxi came soon after. Marjorie hugged Molly.

‘Do not be a stranger, Marjorie – you’re one of us.’

Marjorie promised Molly she wouldn’t be stranger, climbed into the taxi, gave the man her address and sobbed the whole way home.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Juliet

Chapter Twenty-Five

Juliet

KYLE’S PARENTS LEFT THE hotel around three, leaving him behind.