Pamela sat in her lounge and smiled as she prepared herself for the arrival of her friends. She’d invited Deidre, Carol, and Sylvia to join her for tea and cake, intimating that she had something she wished to tell them. She had made a Victoria sponge and a batch of rock buns, which she set out, along with her Wedgewood tea set.

The ladies arrived promptly and were clearly keen to hear what she had to say. Deliberately, she took her time pouring the tea and handing the cakes around.

Finally, she sat down, and having taken a drink of her tea, said, “I’m sure you’ll all be very pleased to learn that I’ve come to a decision about the future.”

She paused as they all smiled at her, in what she felt was a rather patronising manner.

“Yes, I shall be moving to an apartment near to my son-in-law.”

“What?”

“Pamela, have you thought about it properly?”

“But you can’t. How will you cope by yourself?”

The three ladies looked at each other, and then Deidre, who seemed to have been elected spokeswoman, said, “We really do think you should take some more time. I’m sure if you weigh things up, you’ll be better off in one of the apartments here, close to your friends.”

“I’m sure I’ll make new friends,” Pamela replied. “When I mentioned the possibility to the ladies at the Widows’ Club, they thought it was an excellent idea.”

“But they’re widows!”

“And so am I. And please don’t bother about getting other people involved in the hope that they will change my mind. I placed a deposit on an apartment this morning. Now, would anyone like some more tea?”

There was a clattering of teacups as the three ladies all stood up. Pamela wasn’t surprised. She was slightly disappointed, having hoped that at least one would have the grace to wish her well, but it only served to prove she had been right in deciding to move.

Once they had left, she carried the tea tray into the kitchen in order to wash up. She packed the remaining cake into a cake tin, ready to take to Adam’s. Lucas was coming to pick her up after work that evening and she would be spending the next few days with them. That way, not only would she be able to start making preparations for her move, but she would be away when the inevitable onslaught telling her she was making a mistake began.