Bruno looked as if he wished he hadn’t asked, and Marie felt a little bit sorry for him. She was distracted by her tummy rumbling; she’d been so busy getting ready for the move next week, and had skipped lunch. Now she was starving. She sipped her wine to suppress her hunger.

‘Your mum ought to report him,’ Alex said, his tone of voice indicating that he didn’t like this topic of conversation.

‘Yeah, like that would help,’ Carina muttered. ‘There’s no one in the whole of fucking Nedanås who doesn’t know that Kalle hits my mum.’

‘What about your older brothers?’ Simon said.

Carina shook her head. ‘They’re busy with their own stuff.’ She stubbed out her cigarette and looked away. Marie knew why. Everyone knew about Carina’s brothers; everyone knew exactly what they were busy with. Best not to ask questions. Marie sipped her wine, discovered that the glass was almost empty.

When the wood had turned to velvety-grey charcoal, Bruno grilled pork fillets and fresh vegetables. The way he could produce a real feast in minutes was impressive, but the friends had seen him do it so often that no one reacted. Marie decided it was time that changed.

‘That smells fantastic, Bruno,’ she said. ‘Well done!’ It was probably because she was so hungry, and maybe because of the wine she’d stupidly drunk on an empty stomach. Whatever the reason, the compliment seemed to please Bruno, although he looked a little embarrassed. Marie knew why he was blushing. Simon had hinted that Bruno was interested in her, and even if she didn’t feel the same way, the revelation had cheered her up. She was beginning to get very tired of the role of the pretty girl’s plain friend, which she’d been playing ever since junior school. It felt good to be desired, to know that someone actually preferred her to Carina Pedersen, even if it was only reliable old Bruno Sordi.

‘Friends forever,’ Alex said, raising his beer can in a toast. ‘Whatever happens, right?’

‘Here you go!’ Carina filled Marie’s glass all the way to the top. Marie looked at it. If she drank the lot she would exceed her normal alcohol consumption by a considerable amount – but this was no ordinary evening. The last swim of the summer was a tradition Alex had come up with when they were thirteen, and it had continued every year since then. At least until now. Summer 1990 was behind them, just like their graduation from high school, and at any moment Marie could summon the tingle of anticipation she felt about everything that was going to happen. This was the beginning of her life – for real. She raised her glass and took a deep swig of her wine, then another. Felt the warmth spread through her body.