"They'll sink without you" Hannah reassured Rona. "They'll fucking sink."

"I don't even know if I want them to sink" Rona replied. "I mean - I don't know, maybe I do. It might not even be permanent, I dunno . . . I'll probably go in there next week and it'll be all forgotten about."

Hannah looked at her askance. "You sound strangely calm . . ." she said cautiously. "Aren't you angry about this?"

Rona sighed. "I was. Now . . . it's just a relief, to be honest. To be out of there, and not to have to deal with Si any more."

"Well I'm angry" said Hannah. "I'm angry for you."

Rona smiled weakly. "Aww, thanks Hannah" she said. "That's sweet. But you don't have to be angry for me. I don't want you to be. This isn't such a big deal. I don't want to make a big deal out of it."

"You don't?"

"No, not really." Rona noticed the look Hannah was throwing at her. "What?"

"Well - I kind of already made a big deal out of it on your behalf."

"What do you mean?"

"I ran up Phuong and Sacha. They're on their way over here to cheer you up."

"You - invited people over to my house?"

"Yeah. Why not? I invited myself, didn't I?"

"That's different . . ."

"Listen, Rona sweetie. We're your friends. It's our job to be here and comfort you and make you laugh at stupid things and get angry on your behalf, whether you want us to or not."

"I've never heard that definition of friendship before."

"Come on, you'd do the same thing!"

"I don't think so."

"Pssh. You're just angry at me because you want to be the strong independent modern woman and I'm not letting you."

"I'm not angry at you!"

"No?"

"And I am a strong, independent, modern woman."

Hannah grinned. "Damn right you are! Now where's the booze?"