Walking slowly back to my desk, I set about collecting my things and switching off my desktop. It only took me a minute or so, but by the time I had put on my still-damp coat and turned to smile at Cameron, he had gone.

Chapter 21

I leaned my head against the rain-lashed window of the bus and decided to text Giles. He was at home, having taken a second day off work to avoid passing on his bug, and I knew that, even with heavy traffic, I’d see him within half an hour or so. But the idea of updating him at a distance appealed. I really didn’t want any more upsetting conversations that evening.

Sitting up, I began to text, opting for a no-edits, stream-of-consciousness approach. It was, to be honest, all I was capable of.

Spoke to Alison. Cameron hasn’t done anything wrong. I said sorry to him and he didn’t get angry, but it’s still a mess. Can you explain things to Kerry? Tonight? I hate the thought of her maybe doubting him. He cares for her a lot and doesn’t want me talking to her and I get that. It’s best if you and she mend fences and I go back to Harbourside. Sorry for the screw-ups xx

I sent the text, returned my phone to my bag, and leaned my head back against the window. For the rest of the journey, my entire focus was on staying awake. It was quite an effort and when I stepped off the bus and onto the Downs thirty-five minutes later, I felt grateful to the cold drops of rain hammering down on my head, both for waking me up and for providing me with an impetus to hurry home. Otherwise, I may simply have sat at the bus stop for another half an hour, wondering what on earth Ruby and Jason, and Cameron and Kerry, and work and life, were all about.

I was a couple of houses from home when the sound of something being banged hard against glass caught my attention. The banging was urgent and prolonged and, despite the rain, I stopped walking and peered at the nearby living room windows, in an attempt to locate the source of the noise. It took me just a second or two to work out that the sound was coming from higher up and I eventually spotted Harry waving frantically from a first-floor window, whilst banging what looked like a toy truck against the glass. When we finally made eye contact, he grinned and turned away from the window. Just too late, I raised my hand and managed a smile.

Slowly lowering my hand, I stood for a moment, letting this latest regret, and all my previous ones, wash over me along with the rain. Then, heaving a sigh and dragging one foot in front of the other, I continued my walk up the avenue.