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like a right old bag here compared to the Guests.’ She looks at her watch. ‘I think that might be enough for now, Alice. It’s a lot to take in. Plus, you’ll be wanting to see your sister, yeah?’
    She stands up, picks up her glass and the ashtray. I’m amazed to see it has three stubs in it, just from our conversation.
    ‘No smoking ban in limbo yet then?’ I ask.
    She smiles. ‘I’m the only one who bothers, here. We’ve got a fag machine,’ she gestures towards the corner, ‘but it’s empty because none of the Guests are interested.’
    ‘Sam? One last thing.’
    She stops halfway to the bar. ‘What?’
    ‘If the Guests are meant to forget the past, why am I here?’
    ‘Ah . . . .’ she walks back towards me, still holding the glass and the ashtray. ‘Sometimes people can’t accept it. The living-for-now.’
    ‘So I’m here to help Meggie accept her fate?’
    ‘Something like that.’ She looks uncomfortable. ‘Like I said, I don’t have all the answers. And in this particular case, your guess is as good as mine.’
    I have a hunch she’s not telling me the whole truth, but she turns her back on me before I can ask any more.
    ‘Thanks,’ I say, and she looks up from tidying the bar.
    ‘Any time, mate. Megan’s by the jetty, I think.’
    I realise I’m being dismissed. I take two steps down from the bar to the beach, and when I turn round, Sam is a little shimmery, as though there’s a heat haze between the two of us. She’s humming along to the music.
    ‘Sam?’
    ‘Hmmm?’ She doesn’t look up.
    ‘You’re not . . . not an angel , are you?’
    Now she does look up. Her face breaks into the broadest smile, and she begins to laugh. It sounds musical. Almost angelic, I think. But she’s shaking her head and laughing so hard she can’t seem to stop. When she does regain control, she fights to catch her breath.
    ‘Oh, Alice, you’re priceless. Whoever heard of a Scouse angel?’

15
    I step onto the sand. The beach still looks empty, though knowing there might be people in my way makes me unsteady on my feet.
    Even though, in reality, I have my bum parked safely on my pink office chair.
    I strain to detect voices, switching the volume up to max, but I hear none. Instead, I feel the same tingle I felt the first time here. It’s impossible not to feel awed by this place, even though I know it’s not real . . .
    As I walk towards the jetty, I hear my ‘footsteps’ slapping on the sand. I move the mouse faster. The steps increase to jogging speed. I push forward, faster and faster, until I run into the water and splashing begins, in my ears and on the screen, the droplets like tiny seed pearls in the sun.
    ‘Ah, Florrie, you never were much of a swimmer.’
    I jump. Really jump, on the screen. Weird. I’m sure I didn’t actually move my mouse.
    ‘Where are you?’ I ask.
    ‘Look up.’
    I peer up towards the jetty, and the sunlight hurts my eyes. ‘Can’t see you.’
    ‘Yes, well, I know what that feels like. It’s been a whole bloody week. What kept you? I won’t accept anything less than a red hot date.’ Her voice is teasing, but I hear the hurt beneath the bluster.
    ‘That question I asked about . . . what happened.’ I stop. I daren’t say another word. ‘I breached the rules, didn’t I? Even though I didn’t even know there were any.’
    ‘Yeah. If it’s any consolation, I checked it out. You’re not the first it’s happened to.’ She chuckles. That chuckle made four million people call premium rate phone lines to vote for her. I’d forgotten how sweet it sounds. ‘It’s their little joke. They make the rules up as they go along.’
    I decide not to mention Sam’s pep talk. ‘ Yes, I’m beginning to work that one out.’
    ‘Be careful, Florrie. Take it gently. If you’re banned again, it’ll be for good, and I don’t know if I could cope with being on my own here for ever.’
    Her voice breaks on the words for ever . The sudden desperation makes