‘Lex. Oh hon, how are you?’ Sasha bursts through the living room door and launches herself on me with a massive hug.

‘I’m OK.’ I hug her back, feeling her squeeze even harder in response.

‘I cana-buluf-ahapae-naufa,’ she wails into the sleeve of my hooded sweater.

‘What was that?’ I attempt to pry her off me, but my arm muscles burn in protest. ‘Sash, I’ve no idea what you’re saying.’

‘You weren’t really supposed to.’ She sits up and dabs at her eyes. ‘I just feel so angry for you and so hurt and powerless. It’s not fair.’

‘Life isn’t fair. But we’ll get through this together, right?’

‘We will. I can’t change that you’re ill, but I can make sure I’m there when you need help, support, carried up the stairs, anything.’

‘There’s no way you could carry me up the stairs.’ I chuckle. ‘Even Dom struggled earlier. Not that he’d admit it, the silly sod.’

‘I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.’ Dom enters the room with his jacket on.

I blow him a little kiss. ‘Is that you off to the supermarket?’

‘Yeah. Got your list. Though I note there’s a glaring lack of chocolate on it. Can I really not tempt you into a little treat after everything you’ve been through?’

‘Definitely not.’ I shake my head.

‘Can you get me some?’ Sasha asks.

I catch her giving him a little wink, clearly meant as a message of once-I’m-eating-it-she’ll-have-some-too. I don’t know why, but this irritates me.

‘Sure,’ Dom replies with a warm smile. ‘OK, see you ladies in a bit. Have fun.’

He disappears back out of the living room and seconds later the apartment door slams.

‘So, how are you really?’ Sasha pulls off her ankle boots and makes herself comfortable on the sofa beside me. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t make it to the hospital.’

‘Don’t worry at all.’ I shift over to give her more room. ‘I was only in for a couple of days, and I know you’ve a lot going on with your mum.’

‘Yeah, but I should have been there. You were going through…’ She tails off as her eyes start to well up again.

‘Hey, stop it.’ I grab a tissue from the box on the coffee table. ‘How can you be there for me if you dissolve into tears every few minutes? Anyway, the two hundred-odd WhatsApp messages you sent were more than enough to show you care.’

‘Oh, Lex, I’m so sorry. You’re actually going through this. And I’m falling apart. What kind of idiot friend does that make me?’

‘A great one. You’d make a rubbish nurse though.’

‘For sure.’ Sasha blows her nose. ‘I’ll try again. Are you coping OK? You don’t need to act all brave in front of me.’

‘I’m honestly OK, Sash. I mean it’s a shock, for sure. I had some moments in hospital where I felt as if my whole future had been thrown up in the air like a pack of cards. I questioned everything: my career, the wedding, me and Dom. I cried to the point that my nose was so raw it burned. And I asked the universe why this has happened to me – it didn’t answer, in case you’re wondering – but I came up with nothing productive. So, I decided I have to face it the same way I face everything else in my life. I’m going to take it head on and work through it.’