‘Weeeell, maybe we can swing back around to that one later? Wedding aside, though, there was … is something I wanted to talk to you all about, before we start planning my divorce or anything …’ I ferreted about in my backpack as I spoke to them. There was a smaller bag in there that I pulled out, and then I pushed myself away from the table. I walked around my friends, reaching over and popping an off-white ring box in front of each of them. ‘No, what I wanted to talk to you about was this. It’s just … I don’t know, it’s a silly something, I suppose. But you’re all just so important, and this is a kind of token. A really silly token.’ During my lengthy exposition I realised how silly they might think the gesture was. But I was committed now. ‘Anyway, open your boxes and we’ll go from there.’ They all reached forward and set about unveiling the contents of the box. Molly gasped, again, as though she were actually being proposed to, and I squeezed her knee under the table. Inside every box, there was a jelly sweet ring. I pulled in a deep breath. ‘Will you be my maids of honour?’

Lily threw the ring into her mouth and started chewing. She reached over the table, then, slammed the box down and said, ‘No.’

Everyone stared. No longer accompanied by the sparrow, instead my heart was a tiny wounded creature using the rungs of my ribcage to make its way to my throat. I can’t believe she said no.

‘Oh fuck, Edi.’ Lily pushed back from the table and rushed around. ‘I will, I really will.’ She wrapped herself around my shoulders and held on to me from behind. ‘I’ve just always wanted to turn down a proposal and this might be the closest I’ll come.’

I burst out laughing, but there were small tears forming, too. ‘You silly cow.’ The laughter moved around the table, accompanied by gleeful acceptances, and soon everyone piled into the hug. I was weighed down by their joy and it crossed my mind that it was better than my own acceptance had been. But maybe better wasn’t the right word, I decided. Maybe it was just a different kind of lovely.

‘I can’t believe you would have ovaries big enough to turn down someone as good as Edith Parcell,’ Faith said across the table to Lily as they all dropped back into their seats. ‘Jesus, do you know how good you would have it with her?’

‘Obviously.’ Lily grabbed her wine glass. ‘But what if no one ever proposes to me again, ever?’

‘Oh, Lily.’ Molly tried to wrap an arm around her shoulders, but Lily rebuffed the offer.

‘Moll, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.’

‘See,’ Cora spoke to Molly, ‘and this is why you need to read an audience.’