Outside, on the deck, the sky was grey. Rolling clouds loomed on the horizon, and snow flurries drifted down to melt on impact with the wooden boards. The wind was back, howling, punctuated by screeches that sounded like a child screaming.

Paula staggered across the empty deck and gripped the handrail. The cold felt like a burn on her palms, and she wished she had brought her gloves with her. The wind buffeted her along the deck and she forced her head up to stare directly into the weather that spat and pummelled at her.

What would she say to Julie, if she had the means to reach out to her? I’m frightened of this woman who wants Tommy. I’m scared because I think he wants her too. I’m anxious about a woman who is thinner than a supermodel, a woman who if she was out here right now would probably be swept overboard by this wind.

She spoke some of the words out loud, spitting them into the wind only for them to be thrown back in her face. A great gust of wind swept across the deck, and she skidded back a couple of steps. Something inside her battled against the elements, an internal reminder that she, Paula, could fight too.

She walked backwards to the door and yanked it open, spilling inside, breathless at the sudden change in environment. Yes, she could fight. But she was so weary of constantly being on her guard to pull Tommy back from an affair they wouldn’t recover from. And surely it wasn’t her place to do that?

But it is, if you want to carry on living the life you’ve become accustomed to, a little voice whispered inside her.

Was that really all that mattered? What sort of woman thought like that?

A realisation hit, sudden and real and devastating. Paula clapped her hands over her mouth and allowed herself to think the words she had buried for so long.

If I met myself right now, I wouldn’t like me at all.

Inside the Arctic Suite, Anna stripped off her clothes and walked naked to the glass doors. She pulled them open, holding onto the handles as the wind smashed into her. It was invigorating, and she screwed her eyes closed.

As she stood there, she thought back to seeing Paula at the elevator. The woman’s face, her stance, her whole demeanour was like that of a frightened little mouse. And the look on her face when Anna had laughed at her! Paula had folded into herself even more, looking like she wished she could disappear. The last thing Anna had seen was the tears filling the other woman’s eyes as the doors closed.