‘I can’t fall asleep if I know I need to get up again soon.’

‘You think it would cause problems if you stayed here with me?’

‘Biddy, I can’t … I wish I could.’

She broke eye contact, stopped stroking. ‘I suppose you’ve got to do what feels right. I mean, you guys have kids together, right, and they come first.’

‘It’s not my fucking fault,’ I hissed, retreating. ‘It’s complicated.’

‘If you make it complicated,’ she said, not pulling me back into her.

I pushed myself up, sat back on the mattress – fuck … the condom was split, she hadn’t noticed, I hadn’t climaxed, but Sarah might be riddled with the clap. I took it off quickly. ‘Ed and Margot weren’t supposed to be staying here. I’m just trying to keep the peace.’

‘With Sarah?’

‘With everyone.’

* * *

The assistant scanned our shopping – bleep.

Biddy’s hair was still wet from the water fight, mine too. I’d run after Sarah and Oliver squirting, aiming for Sarah’s face when I could. She’d taken it in her stride, laughing, firing back at me, seemingly relieved by her condom confession. Biddy had steered clear of Sarah, focusing on Harley, Axel and Sophie.

It was still hot, even with the aircon. People in shorts and wifebeaters pushed laden trolleys, in no rush to get back outside.

Bleep.

‘I reckon we just have to put it down to experience,’ I said.

The previous day had been rough even by New Year’s Day standards. Biddy trying to be friendly with Sarah, Sarah unburdened by remorse, Biddy wanting to be close to me and feeling blocked, Sarah not wanting me to get too close to Biddy in case Margot and Ed saw us, me trying to look relaxed while nearly snapping. But it was the second now, a new day.

Biddy said, ‘To be honest, if I’d known it was going to be like this, I wouldn’t have come.’

Fucking …

‘You want this in a separate bag?’ the attendant said, holding up the chicken breasts.

‘Nah, in there’s fine.’

Bleep.

I smiled, stroked Biddy’s neck, her peeling shoulders. ‘It was just bad communication. We didn’t think anyone else would be at the farm over Christmas.’

‘I feel like the other woman. Like we’re doing something wrong.’

‘Yeah, I know. It’s shit.’

Bleep. Bleep. I reached in, gave Biddy a conciliatory kiss on the lips, closed my eyes …

Bleep. Bleep. Blee–

‘I wouldn’t do that here if I were you,’ said …

Holy Fuck. I opened my eyes – Carly’s face, right next to –

‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ Biddy said, pulling away.

Heartbeat, boom. Keep a fucking hold …

‘Hey, Carly.’