‘I know.’ She sighs. ‘I do still love him, despite everything. But I honestly don’t think this can be repaired. Our whole relationship was built on trust, especially as he goes away so often; now I just don’t know what to believe. Has he cheated once, or more than once? Am I a total mug?’ Her voice cracks and she starts crying.

‘You are not a mug. You do absolutely everything for that family, and he’s a total, total idiot for throwing it all away. This just doesn’t seem like the guy you married, or the guy we know.’

‘I thought so too,’ she says, sniffing.

‘Maybe some things, no matter how right they were at the time, do change. Maybe nothing is actually within our control and we can’t prepare for anything.’

‘I miss the old days. The old Jeremy.’ She sniffs.

‘We are here for you Bea. And that’s something that will never change. I promise.’

‘Thank you, Ol. That’s actually exactly what I needed to hear,’ Bea replies, blowing her nose into a tissue.

Later that night, after my sort-of-successful fajita cook-in with Marcus and the girls, he and I are sitting in the living room watching a film on Sky Cinema. We have some crisp white wine with ice cubes in, and the fairy lights around my window are giving off a soft, golden light.

‘I was thinking,’ Marcus says, reaching for a handful of peanuts, ‘that you could maybe take Caitlin out soon, just the two of you?’

I feel a pang of fear in my belly. I’m not good at this stuff.

‘Oh, er, sure. Any reason?’ I say.

‘I think she’s a bit low at the moment.’

‘Oh. Really? Oh god, poor thing.’

I haven’t been the best person around sad friends recently. I’ve cared, but I know in hindsight I probably said the wrong things. I once read a list online of ‘the top ten things you shouldn’t say to a depressed person’ and I had been guilty of them all. Like, ‘Don’t worry, the sunshine is shining!’ Or, ‘Don’t be sad, just cheer up!’ I suppose I’m worrying that I will accidentally make things worse. I think about Isla, too.

‘I think that spending time with you might make her feel a bit more inspired about what she could do with her life, and her career.’

‘Me? That’s really nice but—’

‘I think she needs an older female figure around, just to observe and learn from a bit. No pressure, maybe I shouldn’t be asking you this. It’s just she tells me nothing and I thought she might be more open with you.’ He sighs and I see the worry in his eyes.

‘You want me to be your secret squirrel?’

‘Yes, I want you to be my secret squirrel. If that’s OK and if it doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable. I just need to know she’s OK. You don’t have to tell me what she says or anything.’

‘That’s good of you.’