‘Alice does.’

‘But she’ll care more about you and how you feel. I’ve got two sisters and the one thing I know is that our relationships are complex and ever moving, but the love is there. Alice will only want that at the end of the day.’

Tor takes a moment to consider this. ‘Maybe. I’m so used to thinking about Graham and how much I hate him, but you’re right. The sister thing is complex. And actually, when the chips have been down, Alice has always been there for me.’

‘So give her the benefit of the doubt,’ Claire says and Tor nods.

They swim on towards the shore, but suddenly, something brushes Claire’s stomach.

‘Oh my God,’ she says with a yelp.

‘What?’

‘There’s something …’ Claire stops and let out a snort of laughter. She puts her hands down, realising that she’s beached herself. ‘I thought … I thought I was being attacked by a fish, but look.’ She stands up. The water is ankle-deep. They both crack up laughing.

They’re still smiling as they get back to their stuff and Tor gets her phone out of the rolled-up float to take a picture to send to the group, but she frowns when she turns it on.

‘Three missed calls,’ she says. ‘That’s weird.’

‘Who are they from?’

Claire watches her as she stares at the screen. ‘What is it?’

‘Home Help has been nominated for a Community Heroes award.’

‘Tor, that’s fabulous,’ Claire says.

‘Oh my God, I can’t believe it!’

‘Well, you deserve it.’ Claire hugs her and Tor lets out a squeak of excitement. It’s wonderful to see her so happy. She wants to tell her that they’ve nominated her, but she’ll wait until the others are there.

‘I’ve got to tell Lotte,’ Tor says.

‘Go on then.’

Tor calls her number, but Lotte doesn’t pick up. ‘Oh, I can’t bear it. I really want to tell her.’

‘I reckon this calls for a celebration,’ Claire says. ‘Let’s get the gang together and go to the pub.’

They hug again.

‘Oh my God, I just can’t believe it,’ Tor says again. She can’t keep the grin from her face.

When Claire gets home, she’s still thinking about her encounter with Tor, and she goes to find Pim in the living room. He’s marking and he barely acknowledges her when she comes in.

‘Can I talk to you?’ she asks.

‘What about?’ He flicks over another page.

She walks over and shuts the folder in front of him. ‘Hey,’ he complains, frowning. ‘I was reading that.’ He folds his arms defensively. ‘I’m listening. What is it?’

‘Well, it’s about the way we communicate.’

‘Communicate?’ he asks, as if checking that she knows the meaning of the word. She ignores his intonation, which is usually the thing that scuppers her.

‘I want us to chat about the things that are important.’

‘We chat all the time.’

‘Do we?’ She stares at his familiar face, seeing the surprise registering. He shifts in his chair uncomfortably. ‘Because I don’t think we do. I mean, in all honesty, I don’t know how you feel about me, or this marriage.’