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‘She’s left us in charge and we need to put on an event to drum up new customers. An event that showcases our services and gives them excellent value for money. An event that will leave them inspired and ready to take the first step towards living their best life. And thanks to a plethora of misunderstandings… it must now involve a coach trip. And needs to link being single and being a small business owner with being…’ I’m struggling to find the right word.

‘Human?’

I look at Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen and inwardly sigh. ‘Isn’t being human what fundamentally links us all, Maria-José-Inmaculada-Carmen?’ I should give her a chance to explain.

‘Sí, claro.’

What can she mean?

‘I agree,’ says Ava. Suddenly, her head jerks up. Her eyes flash open, lighting up her face. ‘I’ve prepared my whole life for this moment!’ she announces, slowly removing her fingers from her temples. ‘I have the answer.’

It’s as though she’s imagining a drumroll.

‘Nell, the answer to all of life’s problems is…’

This had better be worth it.

She claps her hands together in prayer, tilting her head to one side. She’s really milking it.

‘…to be kind. The world would be a much nicer place if only we were kind to each other. And recycling. We need to recycle more. And the trees. We need to do something about them. That’s what the event should be about.’

Futile. Completely futile.

I plaster a smile to my face. ‘Okay, why don’t you both go for some food and come back in an hour, refreshed and ready to sort this out properly? We’ll get some ideas and information together.’

* * *

Once they’ve left, I sit and stare at the crystal on the table. I’m instantly reminded of Nidi. My patient, kind, reassuring boss who also deserves the truth.

‘How are you, my lovely?’ Nidi says, answering my call.

I close my eyes and allow myself to be immersed in her lovely warm voice. It’s time to come clean about everything.

‘Nidi, I have to tell you something and you’re not going to like it.’

She listens to me pour it all out. The ICF complaining about the embarrassing social media posts and photos. The mess-up at the bank with my money transfer from the UK. The singles event that is now being called ‘the coach trip’, even though it doesn’t involve a coach or a trip. The mix-up with the website and the bookings. The sister I said I didn’t have. I leave nothing out except that Oliver, my fake client who we all thought was from the ICF, is no longer the spy we thought he was.

I just think that at this juncture, it seems a bit far-fetched, and I’d hate for Nidi to suffer any further undue stress in her delicate condition.

‘I’m so sorry I lied.’

Nidi pauses.

‘Nell, honey, I won’t say I’m not disappointed, but you’ve got to look failure straight in the eye, be resilient and learn from it.’ She speaks calmly and slowly, allowing me to digest each and every word. ‘I knew you were a complete mess the moment you walked through my door. But you know what? That’s why you need this lifeline, and why I took you on. You are a great listener. You have empathy. You’re a quick thinker and have a creative brain. You’re kind, compassionate and will make a great life coach. Now, let’s deal with one thing at a time, starting with the things you have most control over.’

Her tone, the kindness, the understanding wash over me.

It feels like a hand reaching into the water and pulling me back up to breathe the air. We talk for a while about how I have managed to avoid dealing with my family issues for almost all my adult life. My reaction to Ava making me redundant was the straw that broke the camel’s back. We have carried this rivalry since childhood.

She helps me see that when I booked the flight to Spain, I thought that I’d be leaving the angry, resentful, embarrassed me behind, to start a fresh new life, but sadly all that internal stuff boarded the plane with me.

‘Don’t underestimate yourself, honey. You’ve had to face such a huge life-changing situation alone, and instead of challenging the very people who are supposed to be the cornerstones of your emotional and social support, you’ve simply “run away” from them. You’ve learned a really big lesson here about not jumping to conclusions. Allow yourself the time and space to heal properly. It’s not the end of the world.’

She’s right.

I flop down against the sofa feeling light and unburdened. I breathe deeply in through my nostrils, hold for four, and gently exhale.

Oliver is not who he says he is. I have five missed calls from him. Rather than jump to conclusions, I will call him back to find out what is going on. We will discuss this like rational adults.