Faith pursed her lips, but then her mouth softened into a smile. ‘Our fate lies in your hands, Tara.’

21

It was the first group meeting of the year and the foyer walls echoed with chatter and the occasional burst of laughter, not that April was laughing. She held her body tense, with her gaze fixed on her phone. The message had been received the day before and she knew it by heart.

I know this doesn’t help but I’m glad you know. I felt awful keeping it a secret and I can’t tell you how sorry I am for the pain I’ve caused. I don’t expect you to forgive me or ever understand but I hope we can be friends again one day. I’m here if you want to talk xx

The text was from Bree, but it could so easily have been from Nick. Both had had affairs and were brazen enough to think they could relax now their secret was out. April was yet to provide a response to either.

‘I was hoping they’d be here by now,’ Tara said. ‘Are you feeling OK?’

‘No,’ replied April, slipping her phone into her pocket. ‘I thought confronting Bree was bad enough.’

‘This doesn’t have to be a confrontation, April. I know it’s bad, but it could have been so much worse. For a moment there I thought Nick was a conman out to rip off a rich widow. For Faith’s sake, I’m glad he isn’t.’

‘That’s a matter of opinion.’

‘You have a right to be upset, and Nick is going to have to work hard to justify why he should stay,’ Tara said, ‘but we should hear him out.’

‘He lied to us,’ said April, bringing into tight focus the one thing she didn’t think she could forgive. ‘He tricked us into feeling sorry for him and I don’t understand how Faith can be blind to that.’

As the entrance door swung open, April took a step back reflexively and almost bumped into Justine who had hurried to be at her side.

‘They’re here,’ Justine whispered.

The three women watched in silence as Faith and Nick were ambushed by group members wishing them a happy New Year. A few commented on their post-holiday glow, but Faith sidestepped the comments and pulled Nick along with her.

‘I’ve been trying to phone you,’ she said when she reached April.

There had been precisely one missed call from Faith and it had been when April was in a meeting. Neither of them had attempted to call back. ‘We seem to have a problem connecting lately.’

‘That’s something I intend to rectify,’ Faith promised.