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Alice grinned and nodded. “Here, you have this one.” She passed Ash the intact muffin and took a small bite from the other. “Mmm, still divine.”

Ash nodded in agreement whilst devouring the spongy cake.

“I don’t normally do this, you know?” she said.

“What, consume muffins in the small hours with strange women?”

“No, I mean I don’t go knocking on the doors of random women who just happened to show up at my hospital. I’ve probably — no, definitely — broken at least ten rules that I can think of by coming here. But I really did want to check that you were okay.”

“Well, from one rule-breaker to another, I won’t tell if you don’t. I’m pleased you came by. You’ve cheered me up.”

Ash chased her mouthful of muffin with a sip of tea. She cupped the mug between her hands and relaxed back, fixing Alice with a thoughtful look.

“Come on then, what rules have you broken, Alice French?”

“Oh, I don’t know, a few here and there — perhaps the worst of which is sleeping with my boss’s wife for the last couple of years.”

Ash lurched forward, spluttering her tea. “Holy shit. You mean the woman from the café? She’s your boss’s?—”

Alice nodded. Under the spotlight of Ash’s wide-eyed shock, the shame of the confession washed over Alice. “I know. I’m the worst.”

“Er, no… she is. Bloody hell. No wonder you’re upset.” Ash leaned across and placed a warm hand on Alice’s forearm. Alice stared down at it. She didn’t deserve this kindness. She sniffed and swallowed the smarting twist that suddenly gripped her throat.

“Does your boss know?”

“No, Jeremy adores Fran, and I can’t bear to tell him. He’d be heartbroken. It’s over now, but it looks like she won’t let things be, as you saw for yourself.”

“That’s—” Ash puffed out her lips in the absence of words to sum up Alice’s conundrum.

“Yep, I know. I’m totally fucked.”

“I hate to agree with you on that, but it sounds like you are indeed... fucked.”

Alice laughed. “Is that your professional diagnosis?”

“Yeah, I mean, feel free to get a second opinion, but I’ve rarely seen a case so clear-cut as this. It’s textbook fucked-ness.” Ash’s lips curved into a smile, which accentuated the fine lines around her tired eyes.

“And can you prescribe a course of treatment, Doctor?”

Ash blew out her cheeks and paused for a moment. “I’d say full transplant… as in, get yourself a new fucking life, Alice.”

Laughter erupted between them, and Alice playfully hit Ash’s arm with her sleeve before flopping back into the plush couch.

“You know I’m just kidding, right?”

Alice groaned. “That’s the thing; you’re not wrong. My life’s a mess.”

Ash stretched up her arms, then slumped back into the cushions, mirroring Alice. They regarded each other, eyes lingering a moment too long.

Alice grinned. “How’s George doing, by the way?”

“He’s fine. I mean, he’s still sleeping mainly. He did wake up for a while, but he really wasn’t making much sense, mumbling about pigs again. He became so agitated we had to sedate him again. They’ve finally found him a bed on a ward, so he should’ve been moved by now.”

“Poor thing. I wonder what all that pig stuff is about.”

“No idea. But finding his wallet was helpful. They’ve got some contact details for his next of kin — his brother, Bernard.”

“Oh, great.”