‘Who’s been moaning at you about training?’ Luke says, moving on to his cauliflower cheese.

‘Oh, just work people.’

Lizzie knows Dan is lying. She’s the queen of it and you can’t kid a kidder. They share a look while Luke attacks a piece of broccoli. He says, ‘Broc me up,’ as he does it. Lenny giggles and copies him.

Luke doesn’t notice the suspicious glances between Dan and Lizzie. Happiness has blinded him. He’s having a lovely roast dinner with two of his favourite people. Life is good for him. Lizzie has never envied anyone more.

‘So, what do you do, Lizzie?’ Dan has finished his dinner and is sitting back in his chair. Luke goes to answer for her, but she puts her hand on his leg under the table.

‘I’m not working. Me and Lenny only moved here a short while ago.’

‘Where are you staying?’

‘With friends.’ It’s not a complete lie: she does have friends at the shelter. She knows she won’t be able to keep them for long, and the thought saddens her. All her life she’s wanted to be ‘in’, but never like this. She wonders why Dan is asking her this stuff, when she knows Luke will have told him all about her. She can tell from his pink ears that Dan is suspicious of her. He’s protecting his cousin. The fact that he’s right to do so also saddens her.

After dinner, Dan insists on washing up. Lizzie is propelled into the living room with Lenny and a cup of tea. When she’s finished, she takes the cup to the kitchen. The sound of Dan and Luke’s low voices makes her hover by the door.

‘What do you think?’ Luke asks Dan.

‘She’s slightly intense, and she knows a lot about vegetables.’

‘She knows about everything. Sexy, isn’t it?’ Lizzie can’t see Dan’s face but she can tell he doesn’t agree.

‘Just go slow, okay, Luke? She’s probably got a lot of stuff to work through.’

‘I know,’ Luke says. ‘I’m not stupid.’

‘I know you’re not, dude. I’m just trying to protect you.’

‘I don’t need protection and, no offence, but you’ve never been in a relationship. You don’t know how they work.’

‘That’s not fair,’ Dan’s voice is raised in anger, ‘and actually I’ve been seeing—’

They’re arguing because of her. Lizzie walks in before she realizes her legs are moving.

‘I wondered if you needed any help.’ She takes her cup to the sink and makes a show of rinsing it.

Dan and Luke take a step apart from one another. They both look annoyed. This is what Lizzie does best, ruin things.