Tor and Maddy are as excited as she is and they are all talking over each other, as they walk to the water’s edge. As they stand in the shallows, it’s clearer than Dominica has seen it. The pebbles under the water glint in the sun. Now that they’re all back together, it feels like a new start.

They walk in and Dominica puts her head under, seeing the pebbles below through her new goggles as she swims. It always fills her with wonder to be taken to the world below the sea. It’s escapism on a grand level. There’s a shoal of whitebait flick-flacking in the water.

‘I don’t know how you can do that.’ Maddy shudders as Dominica comes up. ‘Look underneath.’

‘You’re kidding me?’ Dominica says. ‘You can’t still be afraid?’

Maddy shrugs.

‘Come here.’ She swims a few strokes over to Maddy and puts the goggles on her face. ‘Go on. Take a look.’

Maddy puts her head under, seeing that Dominica isn’t going to let her off the hook.

‘No monsters, see?’ Dominica assures her as she comes up, smiling. ‘It’s beautiful, right?’

‘I guess,’ Maddy concedes.

‘Keep an eye out for dolphins, though,’ Claire calls over. ‘Ash saw some when he was out with the surf school yesterday.’

Maddy smiles at Dominica. ‘Claire’s in a good mood.’

‘She’s sorted things with Pim,’ Dominica says. ‘And what about you? How are things?’

Maddy shrugs. ‘Getting there, slowly. I’m just sad because Matteo is leaving and then I’ll be on my own.’

‘But you won’t be. You have Jamie and you have us.’

Tor swims over. ‘You look very jolly,’ Maddy comments.

‘I’ve got the Zoom ceremony tomorrow for the community award.’

She still doesn’t know that they all nominated her and Dominica almost tells Tor, but Maddy shakes her head. It doesn’t matter that it was Claire and Maddy’s idea. Dominica’s sure other people will have nominated Tor too. She’s just glad she’s got some much-needed recognition at last.

‘You deserve it more than anyone I know,’ Maddy tells her.

‘You can watch if you want. I’ll send you the link. My parents and Alice are watching. For once I’ve done something to make them notice. Mum has been bragging to everyone. Even Graham has had to wind his neck in and admit that the charity is a good thing.’

They swim for a while and then go back to the towels, where Dominica stretches out, letting the water droplets dry on her skin. It seems amazing that not so long ago they swam in the snow.

It’s such a gorgeous day, they could be abroad. And she considers how much she always used to live for time away with Chris, but now she’s quite content being here with her friends. She can’t imagine feeling happier anywhere else.

Maddy sits up and waves as Matteo arrives with Luna.

‘Hey,’ Dominica says, as the little dog bounds over to her. ‘I’ve missed you.’

Matteo sits down with them and has some of Claire’s cake. Dominica’s only seen him in passing, so she’s surprised when he smiles at her. He’s wearing khaki shorts and a white T-shirt and baseball cap and cool sunglasses, which he now takes off to reveal his lovely eyes. She can see why Maddy is so attracted to him.