Jamie felt a shiver of deja vu. Of course, it wasn’t really deja vu. He could remember Chris making the same offer months ago. Maybe it was just a case of history repeating itself. Maybe this was their opportunity to start over, to become friends again – without allowing things to go wrong this time.

‘That would be great.’

‘OK. I’ll take a look this afternoon.’

‘Cool.’

Jamie turned away, nodding to himself ever so slightly. Yes, this was their chance to reforge their friendship. They could put everything behind them. OK, he wouldn’t ever be able to forgive Chris and Lucy for some of the things they had done – and he still thought there must be something wrong with them to have done it in the first place. But surely this was better than being at war? They could co-exist, side by side. They wouldn’t be bosom buddies. But they could be good neighbours. It would make life a lot easier.

As he turned to walk down the hill he smiled.

Later, Jamie sat reading the paper, the radio on quietly in the background. He heard a noise at the front door and looked out of the window. It was Chris, kneeling by the door with his toolkit. He looked up and waved at Jamie. Jamie waved back.

About an hour later he heard the front door shut, then Chris’s footsteps going down to the basement. Jamie got up and went out into the hall. He tried the door. It didn’t stick or squeak any more.

‘He’s fixed it,’ he said to Kirsty.

‘Good. You were never going to get round to it.’

‘Yeah, well, I wasn’t actually that bothered by it.’

‘Chris obviously was. Or maybe he was just bored.’

‘Maybe…no, it’s stupid.’

‘What? Tell me.’

‘I just thought maybe he did it to try to make us happy. To try and make amends.’

‘Hmm. Who knows.’ She went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. ‘We’ve got nothing in.’

‘We’ve got that pie.’

‘Yuk.’

‘What do you want to do, then? Go out for dinner?’

She kissed him. ‘What a nice offer!’

He rolled his eyes. ‘I’ve been conned.’

She headed into the bedroom to change, putting a long, loose-fitting dress on. She looked lovely. Watching her touch up her makeup in the mirror, Jamie felt a rush of love that made his heart beat faster and compelled him to cross the room and hug her, burying his face in her hair and inhaling her. What would he do without her? He couldn’t contemplate it. She was both his compass and his map, and he would be lost on his own. Lost in the darkness.

‘Jamie, careful.’

She gently pushed him away, wincing.

‘You’ll hurt me or the baby if you squeeze me like that. You don’t know your own strength sometimes.’

‘I’m sorry.’