Rona didn't want to think about what Kate had told her, about how it had all been a horrible mistake and now Sacha was beside herself at the prospect of having ruined forever their friendship; what Rona wanted to do was drink the champagne with Hannah, and with Hannah complain about how hopeless and disappointing people were and how they always knew Sacha was a bitch anyway and how hadn't Rona been doing her a favour anyway? and how without her Sacha would still be friendless and alone in this city, and as far as Rona was concerned she could stay that way.

But Kate had planted the seed of doubt. It took root quickly, and as soon as Rona hung up the 'phone and the quiet, pleading voice of Kate was no longer in her ear, she found a tangle of thoughts growing in her mind about herself and Sacha.

What if it was true? Did she really want to risk a friendship just because of a misunderstanding - especially now that, as Kate had made clear without stating it explicitly, it was within her power to change it, or at least allow it to be changed? Was it worth changing? Rona's pride would like to let her think that it wasn't, it wasn't worth the hassle, she was better off without Sacha in her life. And yet . . .

A flash of anger, new anger, passed across Rona's mind when she realised that all this consternation about Sacha had isolated her from Hannah: she suddenly heard Hannah laughing, and laughed too though she had no idea what Hannah had said. Concentrate, she told herself. After all, wasn't Hannah the true friend here? Would Sacha come to her aid like Hannah had, if it was Hannah with whom she'd somehow had a falling out?

Well, yes, she realised. She probably would - or at least, the old Sacha, the Sacha she thought she knew, would. In her own slightly awkward, reluctant way, she surely would. And wasn't that the point? Sacha had her own way of doing things - including, if Kate was to be believed, talking to her friends.

Well, what would this Kate know anyway? Who was she - just some friend? Maybe she's as bad as Sacha. Maybe it was all some elaborate joke - after all, Rona couldn't really imagine Sacha being "beside herself" over anything: it seemed so unlikely!

And yet, strangely, that made it all the more worrying. If Sacha was in such a terrible state that was surely a pretty strong indicator of just how upset she was. And this Kate girl, whoever she was, seemed genuinely concerned.

Kate. Rona remembered something . . . Wasn't that what Sacha had said her sister was called? Realisation rose like the sun over Rona's mind: yes, that was right. Sacha had told her. Rona might even have said she'd like to meet Kate at some stage. So why the hell hadn't Kate identified herself? Why did she say she was just a friend? Maybe she was - maybe it was a different Kate: it's not exactly an uncommon name, thought Rona. It was just one more mystery to add to the pile. She blinked her eyes, and reached for the champagne bottle - only to notice that all the champagne was gone. "Sorry" said Hannah, but Rona barely heard her.

Hannah said something else. "Sorry?" asked Rona, trying to bring herself back into focus.

"I said, are you going to go into the magazine this week? Or are you going to give it a miss?"

Christ, thought Rona, that's a good question. Would Sacha be there?

Well do it: regardless of what was going to happen between herself and Sacha, she was damned if it was going to interfere with her work.