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Saturday.’
    Ali paid for the sandwich, crossed over the road into Merrion Square, and sat on a park bench. A pity Molly was so busy, as Ali would have loved to have had a laugh and chat with her over lunch hour, anything to get her mind off work. But at least she had the park, and even though it was still a bit cold to be eating outside it was a great place to come and relax during her busy work day. It was here that she had actually met her boyfriend Robin.
    It had been August, and Ali had been with some college friends for lunch. It had been roasting and they had all been half-eating half-sunbathing, and one of the guys had brought his work-colleague, Robin, along. Ali had fancied Robin right from the start: he was tall and big, with a massive head of dark hair, and always seemed to have a tan. She was his opposite, being small, with pale skin and short blonde hair. He was popular with the lads as he was very funny, and before long Ali had been praying he would be there for lunch, and wearing her best clothes into work the dayswhen she thought he might be. Soon it was just her and Robin meeting up, and one day when he suggested they didn’t go back to work, and instead mitched off for the Friday afternoon, she hadn’t needed to think twice about ringing her boss to say she had forgotten a dentist’s appointment. She’d jumped in a cab with Robin and they had headed off to Killiney beach for the afternoon, ending with beers and a long overdue kiss. That night, on the way home in a taxi, Robin had rested his hand on Ali’s knee and her heart had started flipping – she knew there and then that she was in love and he was the one for her.
    That had been five years ago, and she had never looked back. She was madly in love with Robin, and even though they had become more settled, and spontaneous trips to the beach didn’t really happen any more she didn’t mind, they were so happy. She knew he was the one. She got her Lonely Planet guide to South Africa out of her handbag. Robin and herself had been saving for over a year for this special long-distance holiday. She smiled with excitement as she started reading about lions, wineries and shark-diving.

12
    As Ali opened the door of her apartment, the smell of cooking was tantalizing. She was delighted: Robin was a great cook and there was nothing she liked better than one of his meals served up to her after a long day’s work. Robin jumped out of the kitchen wearing jeans and his Batman apron and greeted her with a big long sloppy kiss.
    â€˜You can’t go into the kitchen yet,’ he ordered. ‘I’m cooking you a surprise dinner, but I’ve a bath running for you, and you can relax in there.’
    Ali grabbed him and hugged him.
    â€˜You are the best boyfriend in the world,’ she whispered into his ear. ‘I love you, but what is the big occasion?’
    â€˜No occasion, I’m just getting excited about our trip, and thought we should kick-start the holiday countdown with a special evening. Anyway, I’ve left all the South African holiday brochures beside the bath so you can re-read them for the millionth time. Relax,I’ll call you when the food is ready.’ And with that Robin closed the kitchen door.
    Ali lay soaking in the bath, reading about the elephants, and the best time of day to go up Table Mountain. As she got out of the bath and started to get dressed she thought: I’m so spoilt, I have a great boyfriend, a beautiful apartment, and lovely friends. If I could just sort out work my life would be perfect.
    As she waited to be called in for dinner she looked around and admired the apartment. It was so lovely, so warm, so them. They had bought it two years ago, and even though it had been hard to get enough money together to afford Dublin’s crazy property prices, both of their parents had helped them, and with her being a solicitor and getting a 100 per cent mortgage, they had