‘She’s so good,’ I whispered, quietly, and when they finished we applauded and Jules put a note in their collection box. We walked home in silence. I was thinking about Patrick. How could I fix things, but without apologizing? I didn’t want to admit to having done anything wrong, because I didn’t think I had. But I missed him. I did. Everything was better when I did it with him.

‘Here we are,’ Jules said, when we got to where I was staying. We both looked up at the building and he turned to me.

‘Thank you again,’ I said. ‘For everything you’ve done today. It’s been really …’ I couldn’t find a word that I felt enthusiastic about. I settled on informative.

Jules nodded, and stuck out a hand for me to shake. ‘Your fiancé is an idiot for letting you go,’ he said, bidding me goodnight so I could walk into the reception area alone. I wasn’t thinking about Alexander letting me go, though. I was thinking about how I’d be a fool if I lost Patrick.

41

I took a cab straight from City airport after I landed, near to Newington Green. Adzo had given me instructions to meet her by the entrance to my local park, the one near the hairdresser’s who’d given me my pixie cut. To say I was shocked that she’d made it all the way to this side of town would be an understatement, especially before work, because I’d never been sure she actually knew this side of town existed. Adzo is one of the most well-heeled, well-travelled women I’ve ever met, but I’d always assumed that in terms of London extending further east than Oxford Street, for her intents and purposes I essentially lived in Essex. But here she was.

‘Hold on,’ she said. ‘Let me just get my bearings.’ She held her iPhone out in front of her, set to maps.

‘Is this about the flat? Just tell me! There’s a mariachi band in my head from too much wine last night, this overnight bag is a hindrance, and it’s cold.’

‘It is cold,’ she said. ‘Why don’t you pop in there and get us a tea? Leave your luggage. I just need a second.’

I did as instructed, crossing the road and ordering a couple of cups of chai, watching her talk animatedly on the phone to somebody through the window.

‘Okay, you’re actually annoying me,’ I said, handing her a tea and fishing about in the paper bag I was carrying too, bearing gifts of cake.

‘Ooooh, yes please,’ she said, taking both. ‘Right. All will be revealed in … three minutes. This way.’