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into finding a career she excelled in.
    By lunchtime, there was a thick heat haze across London—a lethal combination of hot sun and car fumes—as they strolled along the pavement towards the high street. Ash adored Marylebone High Street It still had a small-town feel to it, the only place in London that could sometimes make Ash forget she was in the middle of a big city. The people were pleasant and she loved all the shops and the boutiques dotted along the road.
    The only thing to remind her that this was the capital was the traffic and the countless people, not to mention the celebrities going about their business. Ash barely ever recognised famous people—she was usually too lost in her own thoughts to notice—but the other nurses used to come back from lunch telling everyone who they had seen out, Liam Gallagher at the cashpoint, or the Beckhams leaving a Harley Street building getting into their four by four with blacked-out windows, or some TV show host—there were plenty if you looked out for them. Ash wasn’t really interested in stardom. She had grown up around more money than she ever really needed. As a child her mum and dad would throw extravagant parties inviting important men from the business world of oil, some low-profile celebrities or their relatives, but mainly suits and politicians.
    Ash was never interested in these parties like her sister Kelly was. She would whine at the announcement of the next party and refuse to help her mother and sister prepare the invites or entertainment.
    ‘Why do I have to help—I’m just a child.’ She would say
    ‘It will teach you how to be a good host for when you’re an adult. Now go and help your sister design the invites.’ Her mother would insist
    Kelly, Ash’s elder sister, would revel in such preparations, making suggestions, helping her mother and the caterers to set their grand table and arrange the flowers. Guests would praise her efforts, inflating her ego. Kelly liked the attention but was not big-headed or pretentious and always looked out for her younger sister, knowing how much Ash didn’t like the attention and so hid at any given opportunity.
    Ash never wanted for anything, and still had the financial support of her father. When Ash called America after her break-up with Lee, her father demanded that she come and live with them.
    ‘Ash, I admire you for staying in England and fighting for something you believe in, but it’s over now. No need to be apart from your family any more.’
    After explaining her reasons for still wanting to stay and not leave her friends and her life in London, her father understood. He wanted to help so he paid for Ash to break her rental agreement and bought her a flat off Knightsbridge so she could get away from Lee and make a fresh start.
    ‘You do what you need to do darling. Your mother and I will always be here if you need us. You know that, don’t you?’
    ‘Yes Dad, I know.’
    She loved her family and missed her sister dearly but wanted to be her own person, prove to everyone that she did not need her big sister looking out for her. She was a grown up and could do it alone.
    Ash and Eliza sat outside a small sandwich shop enjoying the lunchtime break, waiting for their food to arrive. It was a humid afternoon. The air was heavy and there was no breeze. A few moments later the coffees arrived on the table. Sitting facing the passers-by, they drank their drinks, relaxing. Cars drove along the high street and the smell of their coffees, wafting into the paths of pedestrians occasionally making them glance at Ash and Eliza as they hurried past. ‘My friend suggested a holiday to Cornwall,’ Ash said, looking across at Eliza.
    ‘Sounds nice.’
    ‘I’d rather we all went abroad.’
    ‘Like where?’
    Ash thought for a bit, looking down at her new white sandals. The waitress brought out their baguettes placing them down on the table.
    ‘Thank you,’ Ash said to the girl as she picked up her coffee.