‘Not even a message. I keep texting and calling, but his phone’s always switched off. He’s been here though, opened his post, but he makes bloody sure it’s when I’m not in.’

‘He probably wants to calm down, have some time to himself.’

‘But it’s been weeks. How long does he bloody need? We have to talk, not hide from each other.’

‘You know what men are like, it’s a macho thing, they need to feel in charge.’ Julie was married and divorced within two years. Single ever since. Never a good thing to say about men.

‘Whatever it is, I can’t go on like this and I can’t keep making excuses to Jamie.’

They chink their glasses.

‘I brought our favourite: Muriel’s Wedding.’

Alison forces a smile. ‘I’m not really in the mood for that. What are those ones?’ She points to the plastic bag on the floor.

Julie takes all the DVDs out and lays them on the table.

‘I don’t fancy any of them, do you?’

‘It’s up to you, you’re the one who needs cheering up.’

‘Let’s put some music on.’ Alison puts her glass down and leans over the back of the sofa, ‘Something to chill us out.’ She switches on an Amy Winehouse album, Back to Black and skips straight to song two. It was the first thing Adam bought her after they started going out. He must have saved up for it for weeks because it hadn’t been long since his gran died and he needed to pay rent on his room above the fish and chip shop. He was so sweet to her then, worshipped her. She sighs. Shame they never really got those old days back.

They sit with their feet up on the coffee table, both singing the chorus of ‘You Know I’m No Good’ at the top of their voices.

‘Are you sure this was a good choice?’ Julie laughs. Before Alison can reply, the telephone rings. She slides her legs down and picks up the receiver.

‘Hello?’ Silence. ‘Adam, is that you? I can’t hear you, I need to speak to you.’ The line goes dead. ‘Shit. I couldn’t hear a thing.’ She lifts a magazine from a pile under the coffee table and pulls out a packet of cigarettes.

‘I thought you’d given up.’

‘I have, but Adam keeps an emergency supply.’ She shows Julie the half-empty packet with a mini lighter tucked inside. ‘He hides them in the laundry basket because he knows I’ll never get to the bottom of it.’ She offers the packet to Julie.

‘Just the one.’

‘Second thoughts, I better not.’ Alison clicks the lighter for Julie. ‘I just can’t settle. Adam’s been away so often before and it’s never bothered me. Why do I feel so… on edge?’ She opens the patio door and paces around the room.