‘Me neither,’ Barbara added, still fanning herself with her chubby hand.

‘Just one then!’ Marion turned and went towards the kitchen, leaving the other three sitting in an uncomfortable silence.

‘How’s things, Babs?’ Kim asked while rummaging in her handbag for something.

‘Very well, thank you. How are you and your brood?’ Barbara was still slightly out of breath.

‘Bloody nightmare! The girls are driving me to drink.’ Kim chuckled as she held up the bottle of wine.

‘You are wicked,’ Babs smirked, wiping some more sweat from her brow.

‘Right.’ Kim stood decisively. ‘I’m nipping out for a ciggie.’

Toni turned in horror, just as Kim slipped a cigarette between her lipstick-coated lips.

‘You’re smoking again?’ She recoiled with disgust.

‘I’ve tried those electric cigarette things, but nothing beats the real thing. A girl has to have her vices,’ Kim said over her shoulder, as she slid the French doors open and stepped out onto the patio.

‘Revolting habit.’ Toni got up, shaking her head, and pulled the doors closed shutting Kim and the cigarette smoke outside.

‘She’s got a lot on her plate,’ Barbara said, eyeballing the cake on the coffee table.

‘No excuse!’ Toni spat.

‘You don’t have children, do you?’ Barbara said softly.

‘No, I don’t, and I’m grateful for that fact every single day. Neither do you, Babs.’

Barbara thought about saying something else but decided against it and instead stood, groaning as she did so.

‘I’m going to powder my nose,’ she said, leaving the room – and Toni alone.

Toni watched as Kim sucked hard on her cigarette while the silver smoke danced in a halo around her head. She’s certainly no angel, Toni thought to herself, as she inspected with interest the outfit that Kim was wearing.

Kim had on an emerald green vest top and a white, ankle length gypsy skirt. On her feet were flat silver sandals and her wrists were adorned with jangling bangles. Her dark hair, with its bleached tips, sat on her shoulders and her fringe made her look young and carefree. She had a slender figure, which Toni envied.

When Kim noticed Toni staring she waved in an exaggerated manner, to which Toni turned her head and pretended not to notice. Kim wondered how Toni treated her enemies if this was how she behaved with her friends. As she took the final drag from her cigarette, she shrugged her shoulders and decided to forget it. Toni had been passive aggressive ever since she’d known her, and that wasn’t suddenly about to change, but Kim did wonder, for a brief moment, why she put up with Toni’s behaviour. She certainly wouldn’t stand for it from anyone else. But she smiled at her old friend as she slid open the doors and stepped back into the house, just as the doorbell rang.

‘I can smell it from here.’ Toni pinched her nose with her fingers.