She managed to get through the remainder of her shift on automatic pilot. She tended to her patients, talked to her colleagues and followed the instructions of the doctors on call, but inside, she knew, in some strange unfathomable way, something was changing. She was empty, like a walking urn, just going through the motions to get to the end of her shift. She could feel herself, as if from afar, plugging in the hours, minutes; every second, hollowing out its echo in her misery.

Finally, Francine sent her home. It was still New Year’s Eve. She hoped she might just about make the last bus. But of course, making a bus or walking the four miles home made little difference to Liv at that point. She’d wearily put back on her warm clothes for the journey, make her way back out of the hospital, hardly noticing colleagues who wished her a happy New Year. It was all just background noise. The world had become a blur that didn’t penetrate enough on her blunted spirit to make any impact whatsoever.

*

A&E was completely mental for most of the day. They were, as Liv had predicted, short-staffed, but at least, when it came to the end of her shift, it seemed they had a full house for the night duty.

‘Go on, with you,’ Francine had said and even she was leaving bang on time. They walked together out through the main hospital foyer. ‘We won’t be sorry to see the end of that year,’ she said as they made their way out into the crisp night.

‘Ah, it wasn’t all bad,’ Liv surprised herself by saying. After all, she’d managed to lose a terrible boyfriend, and maybe she was falling in love with the man who’d saved her life – quite a tally since the first day of Christmas. She couldn’t help but feel optimistic, as if something really special was just around the corner, like taking a deep breath before life slipped into where it was always meant to be.

‘It’s good to see you smiling again, anyway,’ Francine said and leant in to embrace Liv before they set off in opposite directions. ‘Next year can only get better, eh?’

‘Absolutely,’ Liv agreed and she felt that surge of hopefulness rise up even more potently in her.

‘Hey, Liv.’ She turned around to see Pete padding along the grass verge. ‘I decided to collect you anyway.’ He smiled at her and she thought her heart would burst with happiness. For a moment, she stood, not sure if any words would come. How strange, to feel this relief, just knowing that he wasn’t ringing in the New Year with Anya. She wanted to ask him where Anya was. What had happened and of course, why was he here, but she was just too happy to see him to let any of those questions dull this perfect moment.