‘Well, that’s not hard, is it?’ She lifts her glass for clinking and says, ‘To Kenya.’

The drinks are going down too easily and it’s not even four o’clock. Also, the jet lag is kicking in. Emma suggests switching to Tusker, a local beer which she swears you can drink all day and not get drunk on. But Yvonne tries a sip and puts her bottle back on the table. This isn’t why she came all this way, to sit across from Emma and act like there’s nothing of significance to say.

She and Lewis had argued about it, he didn’t understand why she couldn’t tell Emma over the phone, as if it was something that could be dropped in the middle of a conversation. He said that her going there added to the weight of the confession.

‘So, are you going to tell me?’ Emma wiggles her eyebrows and pokes Yvonne in the ribs. ‘Tell me, tell me.’

‘Tell you what?’

‘Who your new man is?’

It knocks the breath out of her. ‘What makes you think I have a man?’

‘Because you look like you do. Cheerful. Relaxed. Well-sexed,’ she laughs.

‘You are still so inappropriate.’

‘Well-sexed was actually me toning it down, it’s not what I really wanted to say. I’m glad though, you seemed quite serious about the last guy, but when you never mentioned him again I assumed things ended badly.’

This isn’t the right setting for this conversation, it’s too intimate and fun, like they’re about to share some girl talk rather than the secret likely to blow their friendship apart. Or is Yvonne being melodramatic? Maybe Emma won’t care that much. Maybe it’s something that when she knows, she’ll feel was obvious anyway, that it makes sense.

Emma pushes the bottle towards Yvonne. ‘How drunk do I need to get you before you tell me?’

Yvonne pushes it back. ‘It’s too early to get drunk. Plus, I thought we were going shopping later. I already promised Kiama I’d get him some new bits. So annoying how nothing I brought for him fits. What are you feeding him out here? I really don’t think I should have drunk so soon after taking those antimalarials, I’m starting to feel nauseous.’

Emma rolls her eyes and downs both drinks.

‘So, are we calling a cab then because you’re probably over the limit now?’

‘Babe, this is Nairobi. Drink driving is the least of anyone’s worries.’

‘And if you scratch your dad’s car again?’

‘He deserves it. But look, you can’t be this boring all week.’ She takes out her purse and for the first time in years, picks up the bill. She must notice Yvonne’s reaction because she turns and explains, ‘It’s Neil’s card.’