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neglected to mention that little fact. So how did you end up getting it back again?’
    Belinda winced as she remembered the mortifying phone call she’d received the morning after that night. It was almost enough to sober her up on the spot.

    â€˜Good morning, is this Ms Belinda Heartford?’
    â€˜Yes, it is. Who’s this?’
    â€˜This is Rita from Williams Street Medical Centre. You left your dog here with us last night.’
    â€˜Oh, did I? Umm, how do you know that was me?’
    â€˜You gave the receptionist your credit card when you came in and we were able to look up your details. You’ve been here once before so you were in the system, and that did make you pretty easy to track down, dear.’
    â€˜Ah.’
    â€˜Even though it was most certainly not his job, Doctor Brookes was kind enough to take the puppy to the animal hospital on Cecil Avenue. It’s been patched up and you can collect it from there this afternoon.’
    â€˜Right.’
    â€˜Really, why someone would think they could bring an animal into a medical centre for
people
is just beyond me. Now are you quite all right, dear, because if you do need to talk to someone, there are helplines you know?’

    Stacey raised her eyebrows expectantly at Belinda as she waited for an explanation. Belinda just shrugged, though, and said to Stacey, as casually as she could, ‘I went back for the puppy the next day, found it all stitched up and feeling sorry for itself. I’ll keep it till it’s a bit stronger, then I’ll take it up to the farm to live. So let’s hear your analysis of me, Doctor Phil – or is it Oprah?’ She wanted to change the subject, even if it was to one that would probably be just as bad.
    Stacey was more than happy to oblige. ‘Right, you experienced the five stages of grief as follows: firstly, denial – you bought a puppy because you were in denial about the fact that you are allergic to dogs. Secondly—’
    â€˜Ahh, Stacey, I don’t think that’s what it means by denial.’
    â€˜Hup, hup, let me finish. I just spent three hours researching so I think I know a little more about this than you do. Okay, second! You gave the puppy away because you were angry with the puppy for making your throat scratchy. Thirdly, you threw a tantrum in the middle of the oval because you were still angry with the puppy for giving you hay fever. Next, upon finding the puppy, you took it to the medical centre where you bargained with the staff to get them to treat an animal. After that, you became so depressed that you threw yourself out of a tree and, finally, you accepted Andrew’s death, illustrated by a heavy-petting session with theneighbour from downstairs. If that’s not accepting and moving on, I don’t know what is!’ Stacey finished her speech with a bow and an extravagant flourish of her hands. She looked extremely pleased with herself.
    Belinda couldn’t help it: she let a smile spread across her face as she said fondly, ‘Classic Stacey.’ Stacey looked a little affronted; clearly, she had been aiming for more of an emotional breakthrough than this. Belinda laughed and pulled her friend into a quick hug. ‘Thank you, Stacey. I didn’t know it, but I needed you tonight. I needed your help to feel . . . normal again.’
    But even as she spoke the words, the normal feeling was already starting to vanish and she was beginning to wonder if laughter on the night of your fiancé’s funeral was really allowed. Sorry, Andy, sorry.
    â€˜God, I hope I don’t have a hangover tomorrow,’ shuddered Stacey, as Belinda picked up the bottle of scotch in front of her and squinted worriedly at its dwindling contents.
    â€˜Now who’s in denial?’ Belinda said with a rueful smile.

Chapter 4
    Evelyn
    Evelyn sat in the darkness of her lounge room and stared out of the bay windows at the quiet suburban