After a further week, Ellen had given up and set her alarm ten minutes earlier. As soon as she left the bathroom and was halfway down the stairs, she could hear Jack shuffle in and lock the door. She knew this was unkind, but she’d kept being late for work. As punishment one morning, Felicia had made Ellen stand outside Farringdon Tube station and hand out free tampons to harried passers-by. This was a role usually reserved for the intern.

‘I swear I can still smell the mouse,’ Alexa blurted now, wrinkling her nose.

‘I might go join Jack at the window,’ Ellen replied, with a sigh. ‘I could also do with some fresh air.’

Alexa yawned in response. Ben was massaging his pec yet again – with the arm that wasn’t cradling Alexa – squeezing and releasing it absent-mindedly. Ellen supposed it was a very good pec. She’d leave them to it.

‘Hi, Jack.’ Ellen announced her arrival, and stuck her head out of the window beside his.

He looked startled, and shoved his phone into his pocket.

‘Any luck with the signal?’

‘Oh … um … no.’

‘Oh, well. At least it’s a beautiful spring day to be stuck indoors.’

‘I’m meant to be going to the pub with Johnny,’ he said mournfully. ‘To the Elephant. The outdoor bit.’

‘Hey, it’s only early still,’ Ellen said, comfortingly. She had no idea what time it was. ‘You might still make it.’

Jack looked rather dubious. ‘Do you think we’ll get out of here soon?’

Ellen shrugged. ‘Right now, it doesn’t look good, does it?’

Jack shook his head, thoughtfully. After a second, he stole a furtive look at Ben and Alexa. ‘Hey, is that Alexa’s boyfriend?’

‘Hmm, sort of. They’ve been on some dates.’

‘He’s nice.’

‘Yeah.’ Ellen realized she hadn’t really tried to speak to Ben properly yet. She was starting to feel guilty about that too, when she noticed something. ‘Hey, a person.’ She pointed at a man coming out of the house opposite.

He looked like he was in his mid-thirties, was wearing trainers, black trousers and a light jacket, and he was leading a toddler by the hand down the garden path. The toddler, in turn, was dragging a tiny tricycle.

Ellen wasted no time. Bracing herself, with both hands on the edge of the skylight, she took a huge gulp of air and bellowed into the street’s hush.

‘HELLOOOOOOOOOOOO?’

Jack stepped back slightly.

‘EXCUUUUUUUUSE ME?’

The man had reached the end of his path by now, but he looked up and down the street, seeking the owner of the voice.

‘Yes!’ Ellen said to Jack. She cupped her hand around her mouth and shouted, ‘UP HEEEEEEEERREE!!!’

The man looked in the wrong direction again a few times and then, finally, found Ellen. He threw his palm over his eyes to protect them from the sun.

This was her chance. Her legs felt light.