‘She’s still getting over that cold and she’s been really busy at work. Plus Ellie and Indie are in some sort of ongoing feud which is tedious. But other than that, she’s fine.’

Sophie wasn’t convinced and she had even started to worry that perhaps Angie was upset with her for some reason. Had someone said something to her about Sophie dancing with Jack at the barn dance? Nothing remotely untoward had happened yet she couldn’t help feeling paranoid because Angie had been acting strangely ever since that night. Perhaps she’d been annoyed that Sophie had left without him but that seemed ridiculous too, Jack was a grown man who was perfectly capable of making his own way home. She couldn’t put her finger on it but something wasn’t right, of that she was sure.

When she had woken up the morning after the barn dance, she remembered her promise to herself that she and Alan should make more time for each other. As she was making coffee, she called him at his parents, eager to hear his voice after spending a night in bed without him.

‘Hey, love,’ he said when he answered, sounding tired.

‘How’s it going?’

‘Fine, although I’ll need to stick around for a few more days. Mum is still in hospital so I have to ferry Dad to and fro. And I’ve been up half the night helping him to the loo so I’m a bit knackered. Are you okay?’

‘Of course,’ Sophie reassured him. ‘I miss you though.’

‘I miss you too, Soph.’

‘Shall we come up too, Al? We could help you out around the house.’

‘No it’s not necessary, love, and two kids running around probably won’t help matters. You stay put and I’ll be home when I can.’

Later that morning she had popped next door to see if Angie was feeling better but Indie, without even glancing up from her phone, had informed her that her mother had gone to the gym. Next, she called Clara to see if she fancied a playdate but her kids had back-to-back birthday parties. Finally she tried Eve, who didn’t even answer her phone. Feeling a bit discombobulated, she decided to take the children to visit her parents for the night. The next time she saw Jack was on Monday morning and he had been his usual, chirpy self. But ever since that weekend Angie had been acting strangely and she’d resolved to get to the bottom of it once and for all.

Angie stood in Sophie’s kitchen, dumbfounded. How had Sophie known that something was up? No one else had said anything and she’d assumed that she was doing an admirable job of hiding her feelings, so Sophie’s perceptiveness had caught her off guard. Her brain kicked into gear as she tried to think of the best way to respond to get Sophie off her case. This thing, or whatever it was she was feeling, was something she had to deal with – and get over – by herself.