‘Oh that’s awful. What a thing for him to do. It must have been such a tough time for you,’ I sympathized. ‘You must have been devastated. But you obviously got back together?’

‘Yes, on the first day of my second trimester. Oscar changed his mind. He told me breaking up with me was his “biggest regret”. Said he was determined to be there for me and the baby, and would pay me attention like never before.’

‘Was it easy to forgive him?’

She thought for a moment.

‘Aisha, as you probably know, all relationships reach a point where you have to think with your head as well as your heart. I know from friends that bringing up a child isn’t easy and I already knew that Oscar was a great dad; he has a fantastic, close and loving relationship with his children Evie and Ollie, and although he is probably a little rusty, I figure he can probably still remember how to change a nappy, with some practice. Plus we have great sex.’

I squirmed. I’d always been prudish about talking about either my own, or other people’s sex lives, especially in public.

Lucy didn’t seem to mind though. ‘We’re definitely compatible in the bedroom. I mean, it wasn’t easy at first, but he really did mean it this time, I could tell. I came to the realization that good things often come after a fight and the best things are worth waiting for.’ She stopped in her tracks, as if afraid she might have said something shocking, or out of turn. ‘Sorry, is this too much?’

‘No, not at all,’ I replied. ‘I’m intrigued.’

‘We began seeing each other properly again – there were trips to the theatre, days out visiting art galleries and a couple of weekends away at country spa hotels. The sex was unreal. Turns out I’ve never felt sexier than with these curves. I was five months gone when he asked if we could become a bona fide couple and move in together. Neither of us wanted to waste any more time.’

‘Wow,’ I said, enthralled. ‘So are you happy now?’

‘Yes, we are. I love him. He’s close enough to the full package.’ She shrugged.

I giggled. ‘And “close enough” is all any of us can ask for, right?’ She had, at least, made me feel a little better about Jason and me, by reminding me that all relationships go through difficult times and ‘close enough’ is sometimes, enough.

‘Sorry if I went on a bit, I hadn’t planned to come out with all that; to get heavy,’ she said.

‘It’s not heavy,’ I reassured her. ‘Anyway, we’re friends, aren’t we?’

She smiled, and for a moment I thought she had tears in her eyes. To think, when we first met I assumed she had everything figured out. It occurred to me that perhaps she was lonely.

Tara texted me later on:

Tara: Lucy seems lovely. Really down to earth.

Me: Yes, I think we could be good friends.

Tara: But not besties, I hope. I knew you first, remember?! Xx

Me: Of course Ax