Ellie hesitated. ‘The thing is, we were just about to go out for a walk.’
‘Fine then. I’ll come with you.’
‘But—’
‘Please let me. I need to talk about Zack. There, there, good doggie.’ Gingerly Louisa patted the top of Elmo’s head, which had to be a first. Even Elmo looked astonished. ‘He’s quite sweet really, isn’t he?’
‘Who, Zack?’
‘No, the dog.’ She watched as Ellie attached the lead to Elmo’s collar and put him down. ‘The last few weeks have been horrible. I’ve missed him so much.’
‘Who, Elmo?’
‘Zack.’ Once the front door was closed, Louisa followed them down the stone steps. ‘So how’s he been?’
‘OK. The same, really.’ Oh dear, was that insensitive? ‘I’m sure he’s missed you too,’ Ellie said hastily. ‘You know what men are like. They hide it well.’
But it was too late; Louisa’s face had crumpled. ‘It’s so unfair. I’ve never been so miserable in my life. Does he talk about me?’
‘Um… not really.’
‘He must do. He must have said something! We were perfect together.’
They made a strange little procession, heading past the shops along Regents Park Road. Elmo led the way, straining against his lead and desperate to reach grass. Ellie was second, walking fast in her sparkly flip-flops. Bringing up the rear, hobbling slightly and struggling to keep up in her too-high heels, was Louisa.
‘He hasn’t said anything to me,’ Ellie called over her shoulder. She waved to Briony, who worked in the cake shop.
‘Is he seeing someone else?’ said Louisa.
‘No.’
‘How can you say that? How do you know?’
‘OK, he hasn’t told me he’s seeing anyone else. And last week I had to go along as his plus-one to an event, because—’
‘Oh God, the dinner at Claridge’s? He invited you? That’s so unfair!’
Ellie increased her pace; this was getting awkward now. Louisa’s voice had risen and people were turning to stare at them. At last they reached Primrose Hill itself and she was able to let Elmo off his lead. Finding a stick, she threw it as far as she could and watched him tear after it.
‘I bet you’re glad we broke up, aren’t you?’ Louisa’s hands were on her hips as she struggled to get her breath back. ‘You’ve got Zack all to yourself now.’
Don’t blush, don’t blush. ‘I work for him. That’s all.’
‘Urrgh!’ Louisa let out a panicky screech and kangarooed sideways as Elmo came hurtling back with the stick in his mouth. Her heels sank into the ground and she struggled to regain her balance. Accusingly she said, ‘But you must fancy him.’
‘OK, enough. I do not fancy Zack.’ Ellie prayed her nose wouldn’t suddenly extend by a couple of feet. ‘I have a boyfriend. His name is Todd.’ Todd wouldn’t mind her borrowing him again; it was all in a good cause. ‘And I don’t need to listen to this rubbish, so you can stop following me now. Bye.’
Louisa promptly buried her face in her hands and shook her head in defeat. ‘Oh God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I just d-don’t know what to do…’
People were definitely paying attention now. A small girl tugged at her mother’s arm and said in a loud voice, ‘Mummy, is that big lady crying?’
This only made Louisa cry more. She clenched her fists and wailed, ‘I’m not big.’
‘Come on.’ Ellie ushered her over to a free bench. ‘Sit down. Here, I’ve got a tissue somewhere.’
All the makeup, so carefully applied in Zack’s honor, came off on the tissue. For several minutes Louisa sobbed noisily. Ellie sat next to her, let her get it out of her system, and threw the stick twenty or thirty times for Elmo to chase after and joyfully retrieve. Like a girl with hopeless taste in men, getting her heart broken over and over again, it evidently never occurred to Elmo to stop and wonder if maybe it was all a bit pointless.
‘Have you got any more tissues?’ Louisa mumbled finally.
‘No.’
‘Do I look a mess?’
Mess was an understatement. How to be diplomatic? ‘A bit.’
‘Oh Goddddd…’ Louisa rose to her feet. ‘I need to clean myself up. Can we head back to the house now, so I can use the bathroom?’
Ellie hesitated but didn’t have the heart to refuse. Oh well, she could make it up to Elmo with a top-up walk later. Whistling and calling him back, she re-attached his lead and said, ‘OK, let’s go.’
Elmo registered his protest by waiting until they’d reached Ancram Street before squatting and depositing a pile of poo on the pavement.