Alain and Sacha were sharing an awkward silence when Rona finally arrived. Alain spotted her first: "Hey-hey, here's the party girl, early and everything!"

"Hiya, dipshit" grinned Rona, giving him a slap on the shoulder followed by a kiss on the cheek. She turned to Sacha. "Hi! How are you? I'm so glad you could make it!" Sacha was about to shrug non-committally when Rona lunged forward and hugged her; this took Sacha so by surprise that the glasses nearly fell off her nose.

"I'm going to get a drink" said Alain. "Sacha?"

Sacha turned from Rona briefly. "Yeah, just get me a Cooper's" she said dismissively.

"Same for me, thanks" said Rona. She turned to Sacha again. "So you've been hanging out with Alain then?"

Sacha rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and hasn't that been fun."

Rona giggled. "Oh, he's not that bad once you get to know him. He just puts out the image of being . . ."

". . . An arsehole?"

"Oh dear! Don't worry, a lot of people don't get on with him. You're in good company. Oh, now what's he doing?" Rona had noticed Alain walking towards the stage. "Oh no" she said. Alain arrived at the foot of the stage for the end of the song, and as a few people in the room clapped politely Rona saw Mal bend down and Alain whisper something in his ear. Mal looked up and grinned back at Rona. The he leaned towards his mic:

"We've got one more song before we take a break, and I'd like to dedicate it to my good friend Rona."

"Oh, that bastard" said Rona as Sacha, puzzled, looked at the stage, trying to figure out what was going on. Mal started to play, a familiar bass line. "Fucker" muttered Rona, shaking her head and scowling. Alain rejoined Rona and Sacha just as some of the crowd, at the singer's urging, shouted out the chorus: "My Sharona!"

"Hey, Sharona!" called out Alain, grinning, to Rona.

Sacha looked at them both. "What? Hang on . . ."

Alain turned to her, then said to Rona in mock-surprise: "You mean you haven't told her?"

"I was hoping not to" said Rona. She sighed. "All right then." She got out her driver's license and showed it to Sacha.

Sacha looked at it. "You're name's Sharona?" She smiled a little despite herself. "That's really fucking unfortunate" she said and handed the license back to Rona.

"Tell me about it" said Rona. "Fuck I hate this song. Hey -" she snapped at Alain, "where the hell's my beer?"