‘I hope he can’t.’

The girls roll their eyes simultaneously.

‘You dragged us to the café and you’re the first to bail,’ Maria says.

‘Because I need to be with my husband.’

‘And we have to work early tomorrow, but here we still sit.’

‘No, girls, I need to go home,’ I quickly pull money from my wallet and leave it on the table for my order. ‘Thanks for agreeing to meet up.’

‘Oh, alriiiight,’ Rita draws out sadly. ‘We’ll stay a bit longer.’

‘Yes, you stay.’

To avoid new attempts to keep me there, I hurry to the exit of the café. Outside, I call a taxi and wait a long time for the car. I’m terrified to go home. I’m terrified to enter the apartment and not see Matthew there.