‘What?’ A spurt of adrenaline whooshed through my bloodstream as I whipped around to look at the cottage. It was when I spun back, hand clutching my chest in genuine horror, that I caught the grin on Leanne’s face.

‘You absolute cow.’

‘Told you I was a terrible friend.’

She burst out laughing, and after giving my heart a moment to start beating again, I had to join her. For no other reason than here I was, on a Saturday night, sharing a drink and a joke with yet another new person (even if I had practically forced her into it).

Here’s what I should have learnt years ago, given my job, and my disastrous family: there are imperfect, mixed-up, complicated people everywhere. People who are simply doing the best they can to shake off whatever’s been dumped on them, pick themselves up and keep on going. I’d wasted a lot of time disqualifying myself from this grand adventure called life – I might make a mistake, take a wrong turn, fail spectacularly. The truth dawned on me that summer evening, as the sunset lit up the forest in a blaze of fire and the memories that swirled around us slowly sank into the shadows – I will make a thousand mistakes, I will take many wrong turns, and I may well fail spectacularly, along with every other person who ever lived. And when these things happen, I will shake it off and get back up again – maybe accepting a helping hand, if I need it – and I will keep on going.

Phew. A lump of fear that had been sitting in my chest for more than twenty years quietly crumbled into dust as we finished our tea.

‘Thank you,’ Leanne murmured, leaning her head against the back of the chair.

‘You’re welcome.’

‘No, I mean it. I can’t remember the last time someone did something nice for me. You hanging out with Joan, I’m dead grateful, but I know it’s for her, not me. Probably the same for cleaning and cooking dinner. But running me a bath? The candles and the fancy shampoo. That little plate of chocolates.’ She was weeping now, in heart-wrenching contrast to the violent sobs from before. Nesbit got up from where he’d been snoozing under my chair and went to lay his head on her knee. ‘That was… It made me feel, for just those few minutes, like someone didn’t think I was an invisible piece of crap. I felt… cared for. It’s a long time since someone did that without trying to get something from me in return.’

‘Like I said, you’re welcome. Please come and use my shower whenever you like. And my oven. Although if you’re renting, surely the landlord should sort them out as a priority?’