I am standing – when did I stand up from my desk?

‘She’s my assistant, not yours. Back off.’ Her sneer becomes even more pronounced. ‘Need I also remind you that I rank above you here. I could get you fired.’

‘Then get me fired.’ At least that way I would have time to get on with my life.

Joan stomps off round the corner and leaves me, but I’m not alone for long.

Penny’s happy, endearing face appears from over the partition. I assume she wants the gossip, so I turn and face her, clearing some perching space for her on my desk.

‘Ugh. I hate Joan.’

But what appears on my desk is not Penny’s bum, but cake. And prosecco.

I look up. I have no idea how, but I think Penny might have missed the whole fight between me and Joan, and has instead chosen this very moment to rally the troops, who are now appearing behind her, singing me Happy Birthday. A day that I had been even more keen than usual to ignore this year, with no Mia to help me grudgingly celebrate.

I don’t know whether it was my outburst or the two glasses of prosecco that I drank, but I am feeling oddly empowered. And pissed off. And energized. And like I really need to get myself out of this situation. I need to start taking control.

The issue is, I keep putting it off. I keep getting distracted by the small irritating things in front of me, and forget the bigger picture that sits behind. I flash back to my epiphany at the end of Hugo’s walk. The epiphany that came shortly before the de-horning ceremony.

I need to be held accountable.

And so I decide to message Peter to ask, on the off-chance he has any time, for his business advice.

Of course – Saturday?

As in this Saturday?

I kinda hope he says no – this seems very soon.

Yes.

I exhale, and shrug a shoulder.

Perfect. Thanks, Pete. x

‘Well, honey, I want you to have fun this evening. So go out, have some dinner. Why don’t you see if Mia can go, and let it be on me. Just tell me how much I owe you. And go somewhere nice.’

I’m walking home from the tube having left work bang on 5 p.m.

‘Thanks, Mum.’

I don’t tell her that I have no plans this evening. And I still haven’t told her that Mia and I aren’t currently talking.

‘I’m almost home, so I’ll let you go now.’ I lose signal as soon as I enter my building, so I always hang up before I reach the turn in the road. I don’t like the idea of talking right outside and giving my neighbours such easy access to my conversations.

‘Can’t wait to see you this weekend. You’re still coming to Olivia’s party?’

‘Yes.’ Olivia is my niece. Her birthday isn’t for another week, but she’s still at the age where you want to celebrate your birthday, so our joint ‘celebration’ is now dominated by a four-year-old.