Rona didn't stay much longer, because she got the impression that her hanging around was making Sacha feel worse than if she hadn't come at all, so after having a glass of wine - at Shelly's insistence, perhaps Shelly hoped that Hannah wouldn't open another bottle once the current one was finished - Rona made a show of yawning extravagantly and made her excuses.

But not before making certain one last time that Sacha was okay. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" she asked. "It's no hassle" she added, making a lie of her previous display.

"It's fine, please go" Sacha said. "You're making me feel guilty. You look exhausted."

"Don't worry Mouse, we'll take care of her" Hannah shouted.

"And I'll take care of her" Shelly added in a whisper, nodding towards Hannah for Rona's benefit.

Sacha walked Rona down the corridor to the front door, and then out through the doorway to the front step where the last of the summer mosquitoes were hovering in the warm March night air.

"Just when you think autumn's starting it all turns around again" Rona observed.

"Thanks for coming, Rona" Sacha said.

Rona looked at her. "Yeah, no problem" she said, unsure of what, if anything, was coming next.

Sacha slapped her hand to her head. "I feel so stupid!" she said. "It didn't even occur to me that he'd . . . I mean, it's Phillip! Who'd have thought he'd have a girlfriend?"

"Yeah," Rona agreed, "that is a bit of a trip."

"And I don't know if I really liked him or not, maybe I'd talked myself into it; but I know the last thing I wanted to do was sit and listen to him talk about his girlfriend all night."

"God, he talked about her?"

"On and on. And then afterwards he was so apologetic, like I was a mental patient or like I'd just fallen out of the nest or something, and . . . and I felt belittled. And all I could think of was how Hannah and Shelly would be waiting for me when I got back, and how excited they'd be and how I'd have to tell them all about it."

"Oh god, Sacha. I'm -"

"Don't" Sacha said. "Please. Thanks, but don't tell me you're sorry. I've heard that more this week than I need to."