‘I’m always right,’ Veronica agreed. ‘What specifically was I right about this time?’

‘About having a podcast of your own,’ I replied, pulling the phone away from my ear at the sound of commotion down the line. ‘Veronica?’

‘Get off the phone, you little arse,’ the agent shrieked, the sound of a teenage boy wheedling in the background. ‘Yes it’s Ros and no, she doesn’t want to talk to you. Let go of my fucking arm.’

I winced as Veronica and Max bickered back and forth, ducking underneath an archway as I felt the first drop of rain fall from the sky.

‘Max wants to know if you’re free to go to the cinema tomorrow and do you want to go ice skating first?’ Veronica asked, a wheeze in her voice. Clearly she had only won the fight on a conditional basis.

‘Tomorrow isn’t great,’ I said slowly. ‘And I’m not much of a skater.’

‘She can’t do tomorrow,’ I heard her yell away from the phone. ‘Great, now he’s crying. What were you saying? A podcast?’

I nodded furiously. ‘Yes, you should have a podcast. Wait, what do you mean he’s crying? Is he all right?’

‘He’s right as a fucking bobbin,’ Veronica replied. ‘Came home from that shitshow yesterday, bounced up and down on his trampoline for three hours then booked the entire family a holiday to Florida. We’re going to Harry Potter world on Tuesday. He wanted to invite you to that too but I said he might be coming on a bit strong.’

‘I like Harry Potter,’ I began before immediately correcting myself. ‘But no, you’re right, bit much. Anyway, sorry, podcast. You should have a podcast. You have a fascinating story and helpful advice and I’ve never met anyone like you. You should have a podcast.’

She considered my suggestion for a moment.

‘At PodPad?’

‘Hmm, no,’ I said. ‘I don’t work at PodPad any more. After yesterday, we decided to part ways.’

I held the phone away from my ear as she cackled loudly down the other end.

‘Good, everyone there was a complete twat,’ she replied, clearing her throat and hacking up what sounded like at least half of one lung. ‘But if you’re not there, how are you going to get me a podcast?’

‘I’m going to launch my own network,’ I announced. ‘For women and non-binary creators, only interesting stories and a strictly zero-arsehole policy. I’m calling it BroadCast and I want you to be my business partner.’

Veronica coughed again before taking a long, thoughtful drag.

‘You mean you want me to invest in it?’

‘Yes.’ Honesty was, after all, the best policy. ‘I mean, I’m going to do it either way but I’d love to have your expertise on board. And your cash.’