All I could do was parrot back what she’d said to me. I couldn’t form my own words.

‘A change of heart.’

Her eyes were wide but got wider still, willing me to understand. But I didn’t.

‘I did try to call …’ she pressed.

She gave an apologetic smile to my dad and sister and Adzo, whose whole body had frozen, like if she moved an inch the world would come crashing down. Only her eyes moved, switching between me and the wedding planner. I’m not even sure she was breathing.

Alexander wasn’t coming.

It was my wedding day, and the sky was blue and my dad was by my side and the wedding planner, who had a smear of pinky lipstick on her front tooth that made me instinctively run my tongue against my own in case I did too, had just told me my fiancé had texted (texted!) to say the wedding was off.

‘Sorry. I’m just trying to … get a handle on all … this.’ I gestured to the air in front of me. ‘Just to confirm – did you try to call me, or did he?’

My eyes were itchy, my thoughts pulled through treacle. I blinked quickly. Happy didn’t blink at all as she measured out her words.

‘Me,’ she said. ‘I called him to begin with, but when he didn’t pick up I called you. Of course, you didn’t answer either.’ She paused, deliberating over what to say. ‘I’m so sorry, Annie.’

‘Can I see your phone?’ I requested, my words clipped. I needed proof. ‘The message?’ My voice sounded far away. I was moving my mouth, but everything was happening at the opposite end of a very long tunnel.

I sensed Dad move to say something, but he thought better of it. Instead, he put his arm around Freddie. She stared at me, her bright eyes darting between us adults, reaching up to take Adzo’s hand. The look on Adzo’s face made me feel sick.

‘Please,’ I added. My voice was squeaky and high. Strained. I took a breath and forced a smile at Freddie, trying to tell her not to panic. She scowled. She knew what today meant, and had been so excited that I was excited.

Happy smiled back painfully, her face a portrait of compassion. She must have got it all wrong though, I reasoned. She must have got confused, must have misread his message. Alexander wouldn’t simply not turn up on our wedding day. That would be an awful thing to do. Unforgivable. Of course he was coming. We were engaged. People were waiting. I’d not eaten a full meal in six months, was fake-tanned to within an inch of my life, and had already ordered the ‘Mr and Mrs Mackenzie’ thank-you cards.