Rona caught up with Sacha's news later than everyone else, and she only found out when she did because Hannah had leant her a scarf when they'd gone out and Rona rung up to suggest a night when she could return it, because she'd been too drunk to do so on the night; when Hannah had told her that she didn't know if anyone would be at home on the night in question, Rona asked her where she'd be and then, more pertinently, where Sacha would be. Hannah, who by charm and persistence had managed to get Sacha to tell her what night she and Phillip were going out, explained everything to Rona.

"So I'm confused" Rona said. "When you told me at the pub that they were going out, or whatever you said - I can't remember it exactly but I know you said something like that - were you kidding? Or weren't you?"

"I thought I was, but I wasn't" Hannah said, after running through several more accurate but also more complicated explanations in her mind.

"Well that's just rude" Rona said. "I wish she'd be consistent."

"Tell me about it!" Hannah chuckled.

"Tell her to stop it" Rona said. "It's not fair on her friends for her to go all changing herself like this. Next she'll start going out with girls!"

"Once upon a time . . ." Hannah said, but she didn't elaborate.

"So anyway this scarf, I'll just stick it in the letterbox if no-one's home" Rona said, returning to the reason for her 'phone call.

"Don't!" Hannah protested. "It'll get all mucky. Its been raining."

"In your letterbox?"

"The rain gets in" Hannah said. "And the snails. I don't want snails crawling all over my scarf."

"Fine, so I'll put it in a plastic bag."

"That'll waste a plastic bag!" Hannah said.

"So leave some other kind of bag in the letterbox for me. God, when did you get so environmental? And it's just one plastic bag. It's won't kill the dolphins."

"Why don't you just come 'round on the weekend?" Hannah suggested. "I'll be around then. Probably hung over. Just wake me up. Anyway, it's probably gonna rain again tonight and I don't want you to get soaked just so you can return a scarf. Plus if you come on the weekend we can talk about Sacha's date!"

"Won't Sacha be there?" Rona pointed out.

"Well now," Hannah said slyly, "I guess that depends on how well the date goes, doesn't it?"