‘ … involving a great deal of sherry, and a game of gin rummy,’ laughed Clare.

‘Which I won,’ said Claire. ‘There used to be an “i” on the sign, you can see the gap where it used to hang. This old crone pulled it down with her stick one day. I watched her do it, then she blamed it on pigeons. Pigeons my arse!’

‘It was pigeons. Don’t listen to a word of it,’ said Clare, shaking her head, and they all laughed.

‘So what are we doing for you lovely ladies today?’ asked Claire.

‘Well, I’m getting married in December, as you know, and I wanted my bridesmaids to go a little fifties in the hair department. We thought we’d have a trial, make sure they can pull it off,’ said Leila.

‘I don’t want too many weird chemicals on my hair,’ said Fleur, firmly.

‘Don’t worry, the chemical hallucinations usually stop once the hairspray dries,’ Clare said, revealing a mouthful of crooked teeth as she grinned. Fleur narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Minnie perched next to Leila on one of the button bar stools by the counter, and they watched the Clares set to work on Bev and Fleur’s hair. Minnie was feeling nauseous. She hadn’t slept properly all week. The situation with Quinn had cast a cloud over everything and the effort it took to appear fine was exhausting. Leila had planned this day out weeks ago. Minnie wanted to be upbeat and enthusiastic for her friend, but she felt like curling into a ball on the floor.

‘Hey, you OK?’ asked Leila, reaching out to put her arm around Minnie.

Minnie clenched her teeth and gave Leila a beaming smile.

‘Sure, of course. Sorry, just tired.’

Sometimes she wished her friend didn’t know her so well. Sometimes, she just wanted to pretend to be fine, and for Leila to just pretend right along with her.

‘Still nothing from Quinn?’ Leila asked.

‘Have I missed something happening with love twin?’ asked Fleur, her eyes darting up to look at Minnie.

‘Nothing, let’s not—’ Minnie protested weakly.

‘Minnie has liked this guy for ages,’ Leila explained to the Clares, ‘and then finally they got it on and now he’s gone quiet on her.’

‘Oh dear,’ said Claire, giving Minnie a sympathetic look through the mirror.

‘They kissed last Sunday, and now he’s fully Charlie Chaplined her,’ said Leila.

‘Charlie Chaplined?’ asked Bev.

‘Gone silent,’ said Leila.

‘Well, not totally silent. He has sent me a text,’ said Minnie, shifting her weight awkwardly on the stool.

‘What did the message say?’ asked Clare.

‘Some bullshit about a busy week and maybe he’d see her at the ponds sometime. They swim together,’ Leila explained.

Clare screwed her face up into a grimace.

‘Maybe he really is busy,’ said Bev, giving Minnie a long, sympathetic look.

‘Maybe he’s married,’ said Fleur with a shrug.