‘No one has time for a broken ankle,’ Jemima said, hooping her arms over Sumi’s head. ‘Come on, it’ll be fun. I haven’t been roller skating since I was about twelve. I’m game for a laugh.’

‘I would if I could,’ Lucy added, pointing at her belly. ‘But I’m very happy to sit and watch you all.’

‘It’ll be grand,’ Adrian cheered, holding open the door and ushering everyone inside. ‘And if it’s not, drinks are on Ros.’ With an uneven mix of reluctant mutters and enthusiastic cheers, we poured into the skating rink and the blissful air conditioning.

‘Drinks are on me as long as everyone’s on the Panda Pops,’ I muttered to Adrian as I handed out headbands and wristbands and birthday girl badges. ‘I maxed this week’s budget on the accessories.’

‘How come you’re so broke, anyway?’ he asked, doubling up on neon sweatbands as the others ran off to get their skates. ‘Were they not paying you in Washington?’

I shrugged; trying to work out where my money had gone was like trying to work out how certain people had been voted president. I understood it logically but it simply made no sense.

‘It was expensive out there,’ I reasoned. ‘I was living on my own, which cost a fortune, ordering in food all the time because I never had time to cook. Money just goes, doesn’t it?’

Adrian frowned. He was the wrong person to take part in this conversation.

‘I wish I’d come out to visit more, I really wanted to do a proper American road trip,’ he said. ‘Figured you’d be there longer, you always seemed like you were having so much fun.’

‘I was,’ I replied stiffly. ‘Go and get your skates, we’ve only got two hours here before dinner.’

With a swift salute, he headed off to the check-in desk, trotting along happily. One of the best things about having Adrian as a friend was that he didn’t ask too many questions. I imagine it was easy to accept whatever people told you was true if you’d grown up wealthy; you never had to dig any deeper because nothing really mattered.

‘I’m going to the bar, can I get you a drink?’

I turned to see John beside me, a neon-pink sweatband holding back his black hair. He looked ridiculous.

‘I’m fine, thanks,’ I told him, marching over to the check-in desk to pick up my own skates.

‘This was such a fun idea,’ Lucy said as she settled herself into a wildly uncomfortable-looking chair beside the roller rink as Sumi, Jemima and Adrian happily daubed themselves with the glitter gel I’d pulled out of my birthday bag of tricks. ‘You’re so clever to think of it.’