‘I can explain,’ she began.

After that, it was a blur of words.

It was a mistake.

It only happened a few times.

It didn’t mean anything.

We both regretted it.

Then silence. Evidently Angie was done with her confession.

‘When did it start?’ Jack asked. ‘How long has it been going on?’

She saw Angie glance at Alan, but he was still sitting like a useless lump of coal on the sofa, refusing to look at anyone. The cowardly bastard.

‘Not long. It was over before it began,’ Angie replied.

‘That’s not an answer,’ Jack said.

Sophie’s gaze was flitting between Angie and Alan. She didn’t know where to look. She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to do something, anything, yet she couldn’t move.

‘Tell them, Angie.’ It was Alan. Finally the man spoke. ‘Tell them the truth.’

Angie looked momentarily irritated, like Alan was a wayward client ignoring her advice and ruining her well-laid plans. Then she sighed with apparent resignation. ‘The first time it happened was in January.’

‘Jesus Christ, Angie!’ Jack exploded.

Sophie’s mind was racing. She couldn’t process it. Alan was supposed to be kind and loyal. How could he do this? And Angie was supposed to be one of her closest friends. This was the kind of mad, crazy stuff she used to write about for magazines and now it was happening to her.

‘I’m so sorry,’ Angie said to Jack. Then she turned to Sophie. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Sophie still didn’t know what to do with herself. Should she leave? Should she stay? Should she slap Angie? Should she punch Alan? This is the worst moment of my life, she thought.

Then something clicked into place. ‘When you thought you were pregnant, you were in a right state,’ she said.

Angie looked at her with wide eyes. ‘Sophie…’ she began.

‘I couldn’t work it out at the time. I mean I knew you were done having children and didn’t want any more, I got that, but it seemed like more than that. Like you were terrified.’

‘What’s she talking about, Angie?’ Jack demanded.

‘And then you were funny with me for a while afterwards,’ Sophie continued. ‘Nothing major, I could just tell something was off. I remember asking you at the Easter party but you wouldn’t talk to me.’ She paused. ‘You didn’t know who the father was, did you? Before you realised it was a false alarm, you didn’t know whether it was Alan’s or Jack’s.’

Angie lowered her eyes.

‘Angie?’ Jack was staring at her in horror. So was Alan.

Angie looked like she was in hell. Now she knows how it feels, Sophie thought.

‘Angie?’ Jack shouted.

Slowly, Angie shook her head. ‘No,’ she replied.

Jack moved towards Alan. ‘I think you’d better leave.’

Sophie still hadn’t moved.

‘You too, Sophie,’ Jack said. He looked at her apologetically. ‘I need to talk to Angie.’

‘What about the kids?’ Sophie said, suddenly. ‘They’re still upstairs.’

‘I’ll bring them round tomorrow,’ Jack assured her.