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“I can’t believe I did it, Cath.”

“Why did you?”

“Everything’s a bit buggered up at the minute, in here.” Pointing to her brain, Lydia took a few healthy swigs of her drink. “I was on a date with Nurse Hottie yesterday and Halle showed up. She was on a first date. Anyway, we said hello and all that gumpf. We said we’d have a film night tonight. Later, as Nurse Hottie was visiting down south, she suddenly starts talking about Halle. Telling me she’d like us to have a threesome. I was already close to… you know, and then she demands I call Halle’s name out as I…”

“Orgasmed… You can say the word, sweetie.”

“Yes, that. Anyway, I was so far gone I did, and it was great—”

“But super fucked up at the same time?”

“Yes! I didn’t just call her name, Cath, I pictured her there. Doing the things Zoe was doing.”

“And now you’re feeling all kinds of things you don’t think you should be?”

“I know I shouldn’t be. Halle doesn’t see me that way and Fe would have a bloody conniption. I went round this evening, hoping everything would be normal. Oh Cath, she’d cooked me a healthy dinner and bought low-alcohol beer because she knows I struggle with bloating. We were talking on the sofa, and I think my brain short-circuited because the next thing I know, my face is on hers!”

“Wow. Okay, and how did Halle react?”

“She sort of just sat there like a deer in headlights. I panicked and left.”

“Is it really such a big deal? I mean, she looks at you like she wants to ravage you most of the time.”

“Are you insane? No, she doesn’t. I’ve known Halle forever; I think I’d know if she was interested.”

“Are you interested in her?”

“Of course. Have you seen her? But she’s the one woman out of bounds. I’ve known that forever, too.”

“Why? Because of your sister?”

“Yes, because of Fe. She’s territorial, especially over Halle. It’s always been the same.”

“You’re grown women!”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not messing with their friendship. I made a stupid mistake this evening. I don’t know what’s going on with me lately. I can’t blame everything on my whacky hormones, even though I’d like to.”

“Stress can do odd things to a person’s judgement. It’s possible that all this bullshit with the doctors, etcetera has finally got to you. Don’t beat yourself up. We all do dumb shit. Halle will be fine. You will be fine. Life will be fine.”

“You should become a motivational speaker.”

“I put it down to having great sex.”

“I hope you mean with me,” Harrison commented, winking at Cathy.

“Don’t go getting a big ego now.” Lydia watched fondly as Harrison kissed Cathy on the lips. They were a really cute couple and Cathy looked happy.

“I’m off. I’ll be ‘round for breakfast. Bye, Lyds.”

“Bye, Harrison. I’m really sorry for crashing your evening.”

“No worries. Take it easy.”

As the door fell into the latch, Cathy sighed contentedly. “He’s good for me.”

“I can see that. You guys seem solid.”

“You know, it’s only been a couple of weeks, but he’s the first man I feel… I don’t know, safe with? I don’t mean physically.”