Once outside the church, Justin’s strength almost failed him. People were spilling out, glancing over to him, talking in hushed whispers about the beautiful service, the flowers, debating whose cars to follow to the reception. Alicia’s sister had stopped her on the way out. Watching her sobbing now in Jessica’s arms, Justin thought his presence might be an intrusion. Deciding to give them a minute, he waited, shaking hands and thanking people for coming.

Seeing someone approach her, seemingly without hesitation, Justin felt his already fractured heart splinter. It wasn’t jealousy that consumed him as he watched Paul Radley, the man from Alicia’s past, place a hand on her arm and lean intimately towards her. It was desolation. Standing there, amongst people he knew, people who cared deeply, Justin suddenly felt more alone than he ever had in his life. He had no idea what to do. How to be. He wasn’t sure he even knew who he was any more, what his role was. He felt utterly and hopelessly lost.

Kneading his temples, desperately trying to hold back his tears, he turned away. He couldn’t do this, stand here, feeling as if he was on the outside. The man had worked with Alicia aeons ago, for what, six months? A year? It had been a small financial services company. She hadn’t really liked her job, she’d said, and had eventually left to retrain as a social worker. As far as he knew, she hadn’t seen this man since. So what the hell was he doing here?

Realising his anger was way too close to the surface, Justin started walking. Whether he was getting things out of proportion or not, he couldn’t handle this. Not now.

‘Dad?’ Sophie said behind him, as he reached the path heading towards the exit.

Justin turned back. The guy was still there, his hand still on Alicia’s arm, his face close to hers. Too close. Justin looked away. He couldn’t breathe.

‘Justin?’ He heard Jessica hurrying towards him. ‘Justin, are you all right?’

Ineffectually attempting to compose himself, Justin nodded shortly.

Jessica stopped in front of him, placing a hand on his arm, as he glanced again towards Alicia. ‘He’s just an old acquaintance,’ she said, looking kindly into his eyes.

Was he? Justin’s gaze flicked again to Alicia and back. He was beginning to very much doubt that that’s all he was, not least because her sister had just felt the need to convince him of it.

‘I need to go,’ he said, restraining himself from going over there and establishing the facts for himself. ‘I have to… walk. Clear my head.’

Jessica looked surprised, and then nodded sympathetically. ‘You need some alone time. I can’t say I blame you. Go on, take all the time you need. I’ll let Alicia know. I’m not sure she’ll understand entirely’ – she glanced anxiously back over her shoulder – ‘but I’ll make sure she knows you’re okay.’

Justin laughed drily at that. Deep in conversation with her ‘old acquaintance’, he wasn’t sure Alicia would even notice he’d gone. ‘Will you take care of Sophie for me?’ he asked Jessica.

‘Of course I will,’ Jessica assured him. ‘Do you want me to tell Alicia you’ll see her at the reception?’

Justin hesitated. He would be there: Radley, being way too intimate with his wife. And he was supposed to do what? Stand by and watch? ‘Just tell her I’ll see her later.’

‘At home?’ Jessica asked worriedly.

Justin nodded, and turned to Sophie, who was looking at him in bewilderment. ‘Stay with your mum, Sophie, will you?’ he asked her throatily. ‘Please. Can you do that for me?’

Her expression now a kaleidoscope of confused emotions, Sophie nodded uncertainly, as Justin turned around again and walked away.