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“I do know, and I am so sad you got clam jammed!”

“Thanks, anyway she reckons she’s going to therapy. Apparently, there is a load of stuff I don’t remember from when our dad left that Fe does. Seems to have done a number on her.”

“Do you believe her?”

“Yeah, it makes sense. Anyway, according to her, Halle has stopped talking to her completely.”

“Jesus. Why?”

This was the part Lydia was still struggling to process. Clearing her throat, she massaged her temples. “Fe says Halle has had a thing for me since we were teenagers, and it was Fe who told Halle not to do anything about it. Then‌, I showed interest the other week—”

“By snogging her face off.”

“—and Halle lost her shit at Fe, telling her she’d ruined her chance at love.”

Cathy sat back, wide-eyed. “Bloody hell, Lyds, you’re living in an Eastenders episode, but the gay version.”

“Fe asked me to talk to Halle.”

“What, on her behalf? She’s got some cheek!”

“No, not for her.”

“Are you going to?”

“I don’t know. I’m really serious about looking after myself for once. I want to get to a point where I’m okay alone. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yeah, I get it. So, what’s your plan?”

“Halle and Fe are like friend soulmates. I don’t want them falling out. They’re each other’s support systems, and by the sounds of it, they both need some support. I might talk to Halle and ask her to call Fe.”

“And what about the whole ‘she wants you’ thing? Are you going to say anything?”

“Nope. Fe shouldn’t have told me. Halle would be mortified if I said something.”

“So, you’re just going to ignore it?”

“What choice do I have? I’m not in the right place for a relationship.”

“Could you be friends again?”

“It would be tough, but yeah. Maybe that’s the best place for us to be. We get on, and I do miss her.”

“Can I just say one thing?” As if Lydia could stop her. “Don’t close yourself off to the idea. I know you’ve got a ton of things you want to do on your own, which I completely support, by the way, sweetie. Just don’t hold out because you think that’s what you should be doing. See what happens when you become friends again, yeah?”

“I will.”

“So, is everything with Fe resolved?”

“I’m still mad at her, and she knows it. I’ve put strict boundaries in place. Our relationship is separate from any kind of relationship I may have with Halle.”

“Good thinking!”

Lydia watched Cathy chew her lip. “Are you okay? Something on your mind?”

“Harrison wants me to meet his family.”

It was Lydia’s turn to get a little wide-eyed. “That’s… big. It’s big, right?”