‘You know we’re coming too, right? Although Josh is a bit worried about the subject matter.’

‘Yeah, me too.’

‘It’s certainly going to be interesting,’ Zac said.

Sarah: I guess that’s a matter of perspective. I’ve certainly heard some things from Zac I’d rather not hear. I don’t criticise you behind your back the way you clearly do with me. It’s hard to stay positive when all I’m hearing is how unhappy you are

Josh returned with a fresh whisky, a vodka for Mel. ‘Man, it’s hot up there.’

I nodded, smiled at him, looked down, texted: Like what????

* * *

Saturday, early evening. I hurried through to the bedroom, a towel round my waist, heard Sarah padding behind me. She might want to bang me, it was possible, even though I’d turn her down.

By withholding from her, I was withholding from me. I’d been pretending I was all right with everything, insisting on it.

‘Hey, spunky. You guys definitely don’t want to eat with us?’

‘We can’t. Biddy’s show starts in a couple of hours. We have to go.’

It was closing night, the big finale. I’d committed to going to all four shows – what was I thinking? Mainly that I wanted Biddy, liked watching her.

I pulled on my dirty jeans, a clean T-shirt, wondered why Sarah was still hovering.

A smile. ‘So, I just wanted to let you know that Vernon’s coming here this evening.’

My knees nearly gave. ‘Vernon? From the party? How come?’

‘He wants to catch up. He’s just split up from his partner.’

‘Haven’t you only met him at parties? What are you catching up about?’

Knitted brow. She pushed closed the bedroom door. ‘I don’t like your tone, Chris.’

I sat on the bed, pulled a sock on. ‘You really think he’s just coming round for a catch-up?’

‘Yes, Chris, that’s what I think. He’s going to a party with Valentino in Preston and just wants to drop by to say hello.’

Zac had warned me to prepare myself, had texted: Dude, Vernon – incoming!

My other sock. ‘Are you really that naive?’

Sleep tight, kids, a magician’s coming to surprise Mummy with the oldest trick in the book.

‘What are you implying, Chris?’

I stood. ‘Yeah, sorry, you’re right. Vernon has split up with his girlfriend, knows you’re in an open relationship, pashed you at that Pascoe Vale party you went to, and –’

‘I didn’t pash him.’

‘Oh, right.’ She looked convincing. In the days after her affair with Nikau, she’d looked convincing then too. When Mick had come round and she’d pretended he hadn’t … She could lie, I knew she could. I had to blow Zac’s cover.

‘So Zac was lying, was he?’