‘Okay, hi,’ said one of the photogs. ‘Hold hands, please.’

Tina reached for Bette’s hand. Their fingers intertwined.

‘Closer?’ said another photog.

Bette angled her body towards Tina, tugging nervously on her tux jacket. Her hair was up, elongating her slim neck. 

‘Big smiles!’

Bette turned on her megawatt smile.

‘Wow! Looking great, ladies!’

‘Arms around each other, please.’

‘Bette, can you incline your head?’

‘Switch sides, please.’

On and on it went. Angie, waiting for her call, noted that Bee kept letting Tee’s hand go, seemed impatient, trying more than once to suggest it was time to bring Angie in. And then they did, and it was excruciating, but she stood between her parents and smiled.

‘Well done, honey,’ said Tina to Angie as they left the stage arm-in-arm. ‘Bette, I—’

‘Excuse me,’ Bette said, with a smile that was for onlookers. And she walked off towards the kitchen.

‘What was that?’ asked Angie.

‘Oh, you know,’ said Tina, lifting a glass of wine off a passing tray as her eyes flitted over the crowd. And then she disappeared in the opposite direction.

***

Shane was the right DJ for a Golden Hour party. Her musical knowledge was deep and without prejudice. She’d play Robyn next to Dolly, Blondie next to Ella, but always the right era, the right track. And as the sun melted onto the mountains, she married old-school RnB to the romance of a rust, gold and magenta sky – and watched the dance floor fill up.

‘Oh, I love this song!’ Alice spun round on the spot. ‘C’mon, let’s dance!’

Tina let herself be led onto the floor. She was happy to see Alice in a good mood, but kept casting round for a glimpse of Bette. She was nowhere to be seen. Smokey sang about the tears of a clown; Tina certainly felt like an idiot.

In the pavilion itself, Bette was working a group who were captivated by the olive tree that formed the building’s living centrepiece. Powerful people were hanging on her every word, praising the food, the wine, the views, on and on, every compliment the payoff for months of gruelling effort and curation, and she just wanted the floor to open up. Also, something for a headache.