‘Why would you have to do that?’
‘Have you ever had the feeling that you’re a nuisance, just by being, just by breathing?’
‘Is that how you used to feel? Sounds horrible. So, what happened?’
‘We’d been skirting around each other for months, we both knew it was over, there wasn’t any option.’
‘So, she got the house and the kids, and you got the dog. Tough negotiator.’
He gave a rueful laugh. ‘Wouldn’t you be happier finding yourself some rich guy who could whisk you off to Paris to stay in a five-star hotel, sip vintage champagne in the piano bar, have a fabulous dinner served by ten waiters .?.?.’
‘I’d probably spend the whole time desperately trying not to flip a snail down my cleavage. Still, it is a bit of a notch up from a sad movie and popcorn, followed by a big fight in the local pub with Maleficent, saved only by the Three Amigos at the next table.’
‘Seriously, I was panicking. I was nearly going to make a run for the door,’ Finn confessed.
‘She’d only have chased you down and decked you with her knock-off Michael Kors handbag.’
By this stage they were both wiping tears of laughter from their eyes, more from relief than anything else. Sometimes it was the worst experiences that made the best glue, Cassie thought.
* * *
That afternoon, after it had stopped raining, they took Thor for a walk to the mucky dog park. The sun hung low over the north-facing slope fringed by tangled bushes and bare branches. The whole place would only really dry out when the season turned to spring and the sun arched higher in the sky.
The first person they walked into was the intrepid Phyllis, in her quilted jacket and bobble hat. ‘Poly,’ she hollered. ‘Poly, come and see who’s here.’ As though her pooch was going to stick out his paw and start a conversation.
It struck Cassie that in the absence of a husband, Napoleon had slotted into the role, which was quite sweet if a bit scary. She gave Cassie a sidelong glance.
‘Sooo, I’m going to stick my neck out here and ask if you two are an item now?’
Of course, she realised with a shock: he must’ve been here previously with Thor and his kids, and more than likely his ex. The doggie community know him as a family man and here she was, an interloper.
Just then Thor bounded off and was busy love-bombing some other unlucky person at the other end of the field. Finn raced after him just in time to prevent a lawsuit. Phyllis stepped closer to her. ‘I’ve known Finn and his wife for years, coming here,’ she confided. ‘This mightn’t be my place to say but I think this is the best thing for him.’
‘Thank you. I really appreciate—’
‘Just don’t be surprised if not everyone feels the same way. Be careful. She’s very well-known.’
Cassie was bursting to ask her what she meant, when she saw Finn and a chastened Thor trotting back in their direction. Phyllis’s face betrayed nothing of their exchange, but Cassie couldn’t help thinking: what had she blundered into?
* * *
That evening she returned to her apartment and called out to see if anyone was home but was met only with her voice echoing back from the hard surfaces – funny, she’d never noticed that before. For a moment her heart sank at the bleakness of the unfamiliar surroundings. She didn’t go near the cavernous sitting room but wandered into the kitchen and searched through the contents of the big fridge. At least she’d done a grocery shop, so the shelves looked slightly less bachelorette than previously. She assembled the ingredients for a cheese-and-tomato omelette and started to cook. She also made herself a large, comforting mug of tea, and carried everything into her room, where she waited for Josie to answer the Zoom call. She was bursting to hear her friend’s take on all that had happened.
‘Where are you?’ Josie looked confused at the bare walls.
Cassie tried to explain briefly about the apartment, Ramona and her pole dancing, not to mention the dates with Finn. She expected Josie to be rocking with hilarity and disbelief at the news but found her friend oddly low-key.
‘What’s wrong?’
She noticed Josie’s chin wobbling. Cassie kicked herself for her insensitivity.
‘I’m sorry, I’m so full of my own shit. Please, talk to me, what’s going on?’
‘You’re moving away. You’re turning into somebody else and so am I.’
It was as though somebody had pulled up a roller blind and suddenly Cassie had a clear view of what was happening in her friend’s life.
‘But I thought you were so happy, I thought everything was perfect for you and Pal. Whenever anybody asks me about my friends, I use you as a shining example of how to get your life right.’
