When she had calmed down, she sent Alan a text to tell him she was on the way, wiped her eyes and steeled herself to drive home. Life worked in mysterious ways but she knew now that there was a reason why she had ended up back in Angie’s life again after all this time. Now was not the moment for revenge or recriminations. It wasn’t even about the kids. Angie needed her, and even though everyone would think she’d lost the plot, Sophie was going to be there for her. She took a few deep breaths, turned the radio on and pulled out of Pemberton Road.

It was time to go home.

Angie’s phone beeped from the bedside table and she shifted her weight gingerly so that she could reach for it. Her whole body ached with the effort. She looked down at her screen. It was from Sophie.

Just got back home. Call me later if you feel up to it.

Sophie had been with her to every chemo session for the past three months. Whenever Angie tried to tell her that it wasn’t necessary or questioned whether it was interfering with her job, Sophie had simply waved her concerns away. They had spent hours together in a little cubicle, while the poisonous cocktail of chemicals was pumped into Angie’s body. Sometimes they chatted, other times they watched TV. When it got too much for Angie and she closed her eyes, Sophie read to her or simply sat quietly by her side.

Angie had marvelled more than once at Sophie’s ability to forgive. She would never fully understand why Sophie was going so far out of her way to support her. After all, she had seduced her husband and almost ruined her life. But she also knew, after everything that she had been through, not to look a gift horse in the mouth. And Sophie was a bloody sparkly unicorn with a knight in shining armour on top. If it was all a ruse and she was going to turn around one day and stab her through the heart while she slept, it still would have been worth it, to have her by her side these past few months, to not feel alone anymore.

Her phone beeped again and she looked down at it. This one was from Jack.

I know you don’t feel much like talking after a session but just want to say I’m thinking of you xx

A couple of minutes later, another one arrived, this time from Indie.

Greetings from Ibiza. How did the sesh go? Did you vom? Call me when you’re up to it.

On Sophie’s insistence, Angie had finally told Jack about her diagnosis and he had sat with her and held her hand while she broke the news to the children. With Freddy and Benji she had been able to do it face to face but poor Ellie, back in New Zealand, and Indie, who was on location in the States at the time, had found out via FaceTime. They had both wanted to come straight home but Angie had insisted that they didn’t.