‘Just do it, Maddy. The bottom line is that all any of us need is a good shag,’ Helga says, making them all laugh.

Dominica watches Maddy walk up the pebbles to join Matteo on the prom. He kisses her cheek warmly. She says something to him and he lets go of the lead, and Luna runs down to Dominica.

Maddy waves and smiles and Dominica picks up the little dog. She’s touched Luna recognises her. Her little tongue pants with joy, her brown eyes bright.

‘You should get a dog,’ Helga says. ‘Stop you being lonely at home.’

Dominica has thought about it, but she couldn’t leave a dog alone all day. It wouldn’t be fair. Besides, she’s read about the three million new lockdown puppies and how there’s been an exodus of vets because of Brexit. She doesn’t want to add to the problem.

‘I’m not a dog person,’ she says. Because she’s not. She just likes Luna who licks her face now, making her laugh. ‘Now you’d better go.’

She pats the little dog who skitters back up the pebbles to Maddy and Matteo and they both wave to Dominica.

Seeing them together, she feels a little pang, not exactly of envy, but more of sadness. She can’t move on like Maddy can from Trent. It’s not the same for her. Not when she still loves Chris. How can she ever love someone else when that’s the case?

25

The Jab

Despite what the Sea-Gals said about ‘the code’, Matteo clearly hasn’t got the memo, Maddy concludes. He’d come round for dinner and been utterly charming, but as he’d sat beside her on her uncomfortable sofa, Maddy hadn’t been able to concentrate, fixating as she had been on the expanse of green cushion between them. She’d felt like a teenager. Everything had been so relaxed, but he hadn’t made any kind of move. And why would he, given she’d run out on him after he’d cooked her such a delicious supper?

She feels such a novice, so unsure of herself.

She’s longing to go for a swim, mainly so that she can discuss the evening with the swimming girls, but she’s been called up by her GP for her Covid vaccination. She’s booked in her slot at the vaccination centre, which is being held in the local sports hall a mile away from her house in Cobham.

It’s the first time she’s left Brighton for ages and she feels a pang, knowing that she’s missing the swim today and the Sea-Gals will be gathering without her. As she drives out of town and through the downs, there are clouds ahead and blue sky in the rear-view mirror.

She can’t really believe it’s March and that she’s been away from home all this time. She’s paid up front for another month in the Airbnb, though she can’t keep on renting such an expensive place with her dwindling funds. But she can’t leave until she’s found Jamie.

As she drives nearer to Cobham, the familiar sights that used to feel a part of her now don’t. When they’d always been on long journeys, Jamie would do a countdown to the brown Twinning sign on the edge of town that would signify that they were nearly home, but when Maddy passes it, she feels nothing.