Suddenly, she became aware that someone was knocking. Frankie pushed herself up and trod over to the entrance. Could it be a worried Jay? She pushed the door open and there was Cat, all parted lips, heavy breathing and buttoned-up overcoat. Frankie’s heart skipped a beat.

“Sorry I didn’t call before coming by,” Cat started, grinning and glancing downwards. “Are you, uh, busy?”

“No,” Frankie said, her voice coming out deeper than she expected. “Come in.”

Cat nodded and stepped into the apartment almost carefully, as if she were afraid to find somebody else there.

“Can I get you a drink?”

“I’m fine, thanks.”

She circled the surface of the apartment and returned to the kitchen counter, where Frankie had sat, holding a newly opened beer between her hands.

“As you can see, I’m all alone.” She grinned before taking a swig from the bottle.

“I didn’t, I wasn’t-” Cat shook her head and raised her eyebrows almost to the hairline. Then she noticed that Frankie was chuckling and relaxed. “Well I know I’m not in any position to demand anything of you.”

That was true, objectively. If Cat was going out with somebody else, it was her right to do the same or be with a hundred anybodies, which was more her style. But that was not what she really wanted, and Cat should know that.

“How did you manage to get away?”

The brunette frowned; she clearly did not like the tone of the question, but answered anyway. “Sam had work to do at the station. There’s this case she’s been worrying about.”

Nice. Now she would have to be thankful to the Glaswegian criminal activity and even hope for its future well-being. However, she was far from happy. She threw back her head and gulped down most of the bottle. ‘So is this the way it’s going to be, the old sneaking away and hiding shit?’

“You told me you loved her. Is that really true?”

“Frankie…”

“Look, I just want to know, just… where – do – I – fit.” she asked, spacing out the words.

“All I know is that I can’t make my life stop. It just… it keeps moving forward and I can’t possibly pause it. I don’t know what I should do and I can’t think any more.”