Neesha was an old friend from the first school I taught in, St Peter’s out at Gunthorpe. We had done our probationary year together. There was a group from that school, Neesha, Karen, Michael, Samira, we all got together once or twice a year but last week it had been just Neesha and me. It was one of those friendships that might not have stood meeting every week but worked very well at the few-times-a-year level. It had been great to be out with her, it was true – it was the first time I had gone for a drink with a friend after work in a while.

‘I didn’t say that. That wouldn’t be a nice thing to say.’

‘Yes you did. You don’t remember because you were pissed.’

I hadn’t come home pissed. I’d had a couple of glasses of wine, might have been a bit tipsy, but Neesha wasn’t a big drinker any more than I was. We’d done a lot more talking than drinking.

‘Matty, I’m sure I never said that.’

He stopped typing and looked at me. ‘You’ve always said how bad your memory is, so how do you know?’

Getting into an argument about what I had said when I couldn’t remember saying anything of the sort seemed pretty stupid. I sighed.

‘Nicer than being with me, is what you meant. I suppose it is a bit boring, isn’t it, boring for you, when we snuggle up on the sofa together and watch a film. Funny, Helen complained we never snuggled up on the sofa but it would seem you don’t like it all that much.’

I thought the mention of Helen was uncalled for, but I let it pass.

‘Don’t be silly. I love snuggling up on the sofa, of course I do, everyone does, it’s just …’

‘It’s just you’d rather be out with a friend.’

I went over to him then, pushed his laptop off his lap, gently, kissed him hard on his unresponsive lips and said firmly, ‘Don’t be silly. And now it’s time to go to sleep.’

In bed, with the lights off, our backs to each other, I lay awake for a while, feeling I couldn’t relax until I heard his breathing deepen, and thought, I never said being out with Neesha was a nice change from being stuck at home with him, I’m sure of it. I wouldn’t have been that tactless even if it was true.

*

The next day, I checked my phone as I walked to work. I scrolled up until I found my text thread with Neesha. On the way home from our night out together, I had texted her, That was so fun thnks! Nice change from being home watching telly must do it more often!!! Xxx