Oliver came to the kitchen door to ask me something. I raised my hand, pointed at the phone. He went back into the living room.

‘I think I have to end this,’ Biddy said.

‘End what?’

One … two … three …

‘Us,’ she said. ‘Our relationship.’

As if. She was bluffing, surely, manipulating me. I’d done nothing wrong.

I held the phone away from my ear, hung up.

* * *

I took a plate from Sarah, dried it, watched rain pelt the window. Two full days had passed and Sarah still didn’t know.

‘Just pop that one there, hun.’ She pointed at the stovetop.

Cardamom, cedar … I could smell Zac, always could.

The tests had come back negative for all major STIs. Apart from HIV. I’d have to be tested for that in three months for it to be conclusive. I’d been using condoms with Biddy since Numurkah – until she dumped me.

Get through the chores, get into bed, close your eyes, listen to the rain lashing the windows – a quiet Monday night.

Jack the Dom had been in Noosa at a weightlifting convention. Sarah had been expecting to meet him, finally, for a coffee that afternoon before remembering it was a public holiday and we’d all be at home and Zac would almost certainly want to spend the day with us.

Whatever happened, I wouldn’t question Sarah about Jack. Her life was hers, I had to learn, and, yes – I was learning.

I took another plate from her.

My Biddy.

After hanging up, I’d blocked her number on my phone, unfriended her on Facebook, blocked her email, deleted some photos. Fuck, I was a jerk-faced jerk.

‘Oh, I meant to tell you,’ Sarah said. ‘I got a high distinction for my biomed assessment last week.’

Dishtowel down – hug. ‘Yeah, right, congratulations. Zac told me. Biddy dumped me.’

‘What?’ Sarah’s voice, a near shriek, her rubber gloves squeaking on ceramic. She turned to face me, held the tops of my arms, frowned. ‘When was this, Chrissy?’

‘On the weekend.’

‘And you don’t know why?’ She came in closer, her hands on my back, mine on hers.

I pulled away, shoved the colander into the cupboard, stood facing Sarah. ‘Not really.’

In the three weeks since Numurkah, the tone of Biddy’s texts had changed, her response time slowed. What could I do?

Sarah came in close again, hugged me, her head on my chest, hands on my shoulder blades, rain battering the window. Now was the time I could collapse, burst into blessed tears. I squeezed her, pulled away. ‘I thought you might not be sympathetic.’

‘What are you talking about?’ She came in close, squeezed again, my fucking back. ‘I love you, Chris. And Biddy too.’ She rubbed my shoulders. ‘I’m in shock, hun. I didn’t think she’d ever dump you.’

‘Yeah, well, me either.’ I held tight, inhaled.

‘Have you talked to her since?’