‘No, no.’ Penelope shakes her head quickly. Ty would never cheat. That seems so simple compared to the reality.

‘Well, is it cold feet?’

Cold feet. That’s what everyone will think. Everyone will assume she doesn’t want to spend her life with Ty, which couldn’t be further from the truth. She’d happily live to a hundred with Ty by her side. She feels a flash of guilt for making Ty face them without a proper explanation. But they’re mostly his friends. She’s never been good at keeping people close.

‘I know it’s daunting, with one in two marriages ending in divorce,’ Monique says, waving the fact away, ‘but you and Ty, well I’ve seen the two of you together. You’re meant to be.’

Penelope almost lets out a sob. A breath of air escapes her mouth before she clamps it shut, feeling the lump in her throat try to make its way out.

Monique studies her face again, seeing how hard it is for Penelope to hold herself together. ‘Just tell me, Penelope.’

And Penelope can’t hold it in another second. ‘Cancer. I’ve been given twelve months.’

Monique doesn’t say anything. Penelope sees the words hit her hard, throwing her back in her seat. She hadn’t been expecting cancer.

‘No.’ Monique knows her well enough to know both her mum and sister died from cancer. ‘You can fight it. There’s got to be treatment …’

But Penny shakes the familiar conversation away. ‘No, I’m not doing that. It’s spread, just like Mum’s, just like Miranda’s.’ Aggressive and fast.

Monique is still full of hope, like anyone when they first hear of cancer. ‘But treatment could still give you more time.’

‘What’s the point? Six more months if I’m lucky.’

‘It’s still six months!’

‘No.’ This is why she didn’t want to tell her. She doesn’t want to have this conversation. She just wants to live her last year in peace, not fighting. ‘Ty has no idea. You can’t tell him, okay?’

Monique’s face contorts, confused. ‘You have to tell him.’

‘I saw what it did to my brother-in-law, having to watch Miranda die. I won’t do that to Ty.’

‘So you’ve just broken up with him with no real explanation?’

Penny shrugs, nods. She isn’t proud, but that’s exactly what she did.

‘Oh, Penelope. That’s unfair on him. He’s going to think you don’t love him anymore.’

Penelope can feel herself become a little defensive. ‘I’m giving him a clean break. If I tell him any of this, he won’t leave my side. I don’t want him to have to go through it.’ Penelope keeps thinking of Jon’s grief-stricken face. ‘This way he can move on quicker.’

It’s clear Monique doesn’t agree.