‘No . . . no, there’s really no need. I’m just a bit drained, that’s all. How are you?’

‘Me? Yes, I’m good, actually . . . Yes.’ You smirked.

I pinched my arm, ensuring it hurt. To distract me from the worse pain that you were about to inflict.

I smiled. ‘That’s good.’

You dropped your head and shook it. Forced a laugh. ‘To be honest with you, I’ve had a strange day.’

I swallowed hard. ‘Oh really? Why’s that?’

‘Oh, nothing . . . nothing. It’s just funny, life, isn’t it? How things work out.’

‘So funny.’

‘I shouldn’t really . . . Oh, you know what . . .? I trust you completely, Constance. You won’t gossip, I know . . . So that woman that I said was coming in before—’

‘Sorry. I’m a bit tired. Do you mind if I sit?’ I grasped on to the nearest chair to steady myself and lowered my body.

‘Of course. Look, it doesn’t matter . . . I don’t wish to bore you, anyway.’

‘I’m . . . I’m not bored. Go ahead.’

You twisted and dropped the biro onto the desk. ‘OK . . . Well, it’s nothing, really. It was just that it was Laura – you know, my ex.’

I gripped the wooden arms of the chair. Were you truly that oblivious to someone crumbling before your eyes? ‘Oh right . . . I thought you hated each other? I mean . . . that’s what you told me.’

‘Well, we do . . . did, I guess.’ You turned and wrote in your diary again. Didn’t even have enough respect to look as you destroyed me. ‘And . . . well, basically she’s pregnant.’

I shut my eyes and dropped my head. Listening to the pen scratch the page.

You turned again. ‘And her fella came to collect her . . . the one I took her from in the first place – not that he knows – and I met him. He actually seems a decent guy . . . a bit of a dick, but you know, OK . . . and it’s just so . . . I don’t know, funny . . . how things turn out.’

‘He’s the father?’

You laughed. ‘Yes, well, at least I hope so or the poor guy’s being well and truly shafted. I must confess I did wonder when she first told me, but it’s definitely his. Thank God she’s ruining someone else’s life, not mine. No . . . no, that’s unfair. It’s just everything was so, you know . . . intense all those months ago and now . . .’ You leant forward. ‘He doesn’t know, but we met up last week. She wanted to tell me in person . . . I thought that was nice. Don’t you think?’

I nodded.

You continued. ‘It’s just strange, life. How you can love someone so much and then not even care they’re having some other man’s baby.’

‘The baby? Is it OK?’