It was almost two o’clock when Liv woke with a start. Finn next to her was snoring gently in the shade. The temperature had risen, so in the distance it seemed as if everything was set on shimmer. She reached into the basket and pulled out the large bottle of water they’d brought along to share. It had lost its icy coolness, but it was still pleasant, waking her a little more. All around them, the park had filled up with families and couples, relaxing in the sunshine. In the distance she could see a game of football had begun, but she knew, even from here, it wouldn’t last long. The players were already wilting in the summer sun.

Beside her, Finn stirred and sighed deeply as if he’d just stepped into a deeper level of sleep and she reached out and picked a stray blade of grass from his T-shirt. She was examining it in that way you do when you have absolutely, lusciously, nothing else to do with yourself when she heard a familiar voice. She looked across, half expecting to see Maya or perhaps her mother, the voice was so familiar. But there was no sign of anyone close enough for their words to reach her. On the faintest breeze, she caught the tinkling sound of contented laughter and it sent a shiver of something she could only describe as pleasure through her.

There, in the distance, was a couple, wandering far across beneath some darkened oaks. There was something oddly familiar about them. Liv stretched forward to try and make them out, but it was no good; they were in the shade and there was the bright sunlight to negotiate between them first. She lifted her sunglasses high onto her forehead, watched as they weaved along together hand in hand. They reminded her of earlier, herself and Finn, wandering along, so wrapped up in each other that they hardly noticed anyone else.

And then the woman stopped and the suddenness of the movement made Liv catch her breath. They were staring at each other and for all the world, it felt as if they might be no more than six inches apart, such was the intensity of the connection. It was like looking in a mirror and Liv felt as if her heart had missed a monumental beat.

It was Rachel. Liv knew it instinctively. It was Rachel and Pete – they’d come back to let her know that everything was perfect. They’d come back to put her mind at rest on this the most lovely day they could have chosen. Then, she pulled her eyes from her sister and her gaze fell upon Pete. Her lovely, perfect, best friend Pete. Some days she missed him so much it ached, but she knew, he’d always been meant for Rachel, just as she’d been meant for Finn.