Alexa watched as a woman climbed out of a car a little way up the street. She was struggling with armfuls of supermarket carrier bags. Inevitably, she dropped one. Alexa heard a smash – a wine bottle had come a cropper. Eventually, Ellen sighed heavily. She was now resting her cheek on her hand and inclined her face a little closer to Alexa’s so that they were almost making eye contact.

‘It was a long time ago,’ Ellen muttered, finally, gruffly. She stopped.

This was delicate and unexpected. Alexa willed her on.

‘I’m not saying I don’t think it was him. Because it was. I’m not mad.’ Ellen was gracious in neither defeat nor victory.

Alexa replied, gently, ‘I don’t think you’re mad.’

‘OK.’ Ellen seemed satisfied. She inclined her face a little closer to Alexa’s. ‘Well, that’s good. Because I’m not.’ She muttered, ‘He’s just forgotten all about my humiliation.’

Alexa’s chest tightened. ‘It’s such a weird coincidence,’ she managed, finally.

‘Yes. I didn’t think we had similar taste in men at all.’

‘No,’ Alexa said. She tried a smile.

‘I don’t …’ Ellen paused, shifting her weight on to the other foot. ‘I don’t really know what to say.’ An embittered, self-conscious laugh.

Alexa watched her, carefully.

‘I guess, I give you my blessing?’ Ellen rolled her eyes at her own theatrics, but they were smiling now. ‘Will that do?’

‘Yes. Thank you,’ Alexa said, instantly hating how formal she sounded. ‘But also … I mean, it’s only been a few dates. We aren’t exactly getting married.’ She laughed and then added, honestly, ‘Until last night he wasn’t even that interested in me.’

‘Well. He’s got form,’ Ellen shot back, but Alexa could tell she was mostly joking.

She smiled back, hoping to give power to their fragile new truce. A silence fell, which had a slightly prickly quality. She kept stealing sideways glances at Ellen, whose eyes were glassy and inscrutable.

Eventually, Alexa risked it. ‘Should we, maybe, go back over?’ She gestured behind her with her right thumb. ‘When you’re ready,’ she added, quickly.

Ellen sighed. ‘Yes. I suppose.’ She didn’t move. ‘You go first. You’re allowed to go and speak to him.’

Alexa looked a little hesitant. She did want this, a few seconds with him to explain. ‘Are you sure?’ she said.

‘Yeah, of course,’ Ellen urged. ‘You’ll have to get rid of Jack, though.’

‘Yes.’ A knowing look.

‘I’ll happily take him for a few minutes while you kiss and make up.’

Alexa gave her a look. ‘Oh, shut up,’ she added, affecting lightness, then worried instantly about how it had come out.

But Ellen hadn’t flinched, and she returned Alexa’s small, grateful smile as she squeezed her shoulder, trying to invest the gesture with meaning.