‘I do,’ Clover nodded. For the first time she noticed the car had stopped moving and they were now parked outside her flat. She held up a finger, signalling the driver to please wait. Mia was a woman at the end of her rope; she needed help. She needed a friend. Three kids, a traumatized, broken husband, two jobs, financial pressures . . . Clover could feel the suppressed rage in her voice. It ran through her words like a hot wire in towels.

‘Listen, you know what – I know you’ve resisted selling up; but maybe moving wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen?’ she said, reaching for positives, some optimism. ‘As unlikely as it seems right now, maybe this is the fresh start that’s needed. Yes, Cory loves being by the ocean, of course he does, but perhaps that isn’t in his best interests anymore? It’s maybe even a form of torture surely, like sitting an alcoholic in front of an open bottle of wine? A constant reminder of what he can’t be. Or do. Or have.’

There was a long pause. ‘. . . Yeah. Maybe.’

Clover was no more convinced herself. ‘Look, at the very least, taking the financial burden off you would be one less stressor. You’ve got to find ways to make life easier, and kinder for you all.’

‘I know.’

Clover bit her lip. ‘Have you mentioned it to him . . . about selling?’

‘Not yet. I’ve been putting it off.’ Mia’s voice broke. ‘Every time I even think about how to raise it with him, my chest gets tight . . . I swear to god, I think it’ll kill him.’

‘Mia, no. No,’ Clover hushed her. ‘He’ll resist it initially, of course he will, but this could well be the change you need. You’re stuck in a half-life at the moment, holding on to what used to be. Maybe this has to happen for you all to move forward.’

There was no reply.

‘. . . Mia? Are you there?’

‘Yeah.’ Her tone was bleak.

‘Listen, you know I’m coming out the week after next.’ She didn’t even want to mention the word Oscars. Not right now. What good was glory when they were face-down in the grit? ‘I’ll come to you straight afterwards and we’ll talk then. I can even help you tell him, if you want? He may accept it better if we’re both saying it?’

‘You’d do that?’

‘Of course. If you think it would help.’

‘Okay. I’ll see how it goes.’ A heavy sigh whistled down the line. ‘I don’t know what to say. You’ve been so good to us.’

‘Mia, you’re my friends. You know I’ll do anything I can to help. I’m in your corner always, no matter what.’

Chapter Two