‘I mean, I had no idea you had this huge, other thing going on,’ she adds. ‘And you haven’t seemed distracted. Quite the opposite, in fact. You’ve seemed so … oh, I don’t know how to put it without sounding patronising.’ She pauses. ‘Look, I know I got it all wrong, with the Menopause Ambassador thing, so I’m trying to be careful here – but you’ve seemed so dynamic lately, so revved up and full of energy. Not that you aren’t always, of course! You really are. But this has been like … an extra layer, so to speak. And I wondered if you were, you know … over those symptoms.’ The hot flushes and all that, I assume she means. Despite everything, I smile.

‘They’re waning a little,’ I say.

‘Well, that’s good to hear. I wondered if it was this place,’ she adds with a chuckle, ‘with all the new, young people about, the general shaking up. Because it’s been better, hasn’t it?’ There’s a note of hope in her voice.

‘Er, yes, it has.’

‘But, actually … it was this all along.’

I inhale deeply. ‘It’s been really important to me.’

‘Yes, I can imagine. I also understand how disappointed you must be, so please, don’t even think about coming in today. Just take the day off and rest, relax, whatever it is you want to do.’

‘Thank you,’ I say, awash with gratitude.

Rose sighs. ‘Are you sure your friend’s not persuadable?’

‘Erm, I don’t think so, no.’

‘That is a great shame, Viv. For you, and for everyone really. But you tried your best, and you gave it your all, it sounds like. And that’s the best you could do.’

‘Thank you,’ I say again, feeling almost guilty about how shocking that conversation was to me. After all, it’s not as if Rose isn’t a decent person underneath the bluster and insensitivity. And I’m wondering now if, despite having me ordering her eardrops and dealing with pubes, a part of her actually cares.

Minutes later, she texts me: If you do get a min, could you ask that new maintenance guy to put that exercise ball somewhere else? It’s cluttering up my office and is useless as a shelf.

‘Have you called Hannah yet?’ Nick asks, when he phones.