Bob and Carol and Gemma and Alice?

"It's Bob and I. We had a good talk last night. We're thinking about a divorce."

We were shocked to say the least. I had thought I knew them both very well, we were so often in each other's houses and had been since just after our college days. I played golf with Bob, and all four of us frequently went down to the town pool for a swim when I really could admire Carol's figure. And we'd all been to the cinema together, sometimes to the theatre. But, I realised, not so much recently, I remembered Gemma had commented on that a couple of days earlier.

I really didn't know what to say. But Carol continued.

"It's a collection of things really. We seem not to do so much together these days and - well - in bed, it just doesn't seem to work anymore. I mean, it used to be so good ... "

At which she began to sob again. Gemma moved to comfort her, I myself stood up and walked over to kneel in front, to take her hand, to try to offer some support. Eventually she settled down and began to smile a little, difficult in the circumstances.

It was Gemma's turn to speak.

"Alan, we have to help here, don't we."

I didn't really see how, I mean it was between Bob and Carol really, OK we would help out in any way we could but I really didn't see how. I looked at them both, two very attractive women in their mid-thirties, both somewhat upset. It was Gemma who surprised me by what she said next.

"Carol, you probably don't realise this but Alan and I have been through this ourselves."

I didn't realise what was going to come next, or I would probably just have shouted 'NO' and run out. Carol looked across at me, then at Gemma.

"You two? Oh no, surely not, I mean, you and Alan, we've always looked at you as a sort-of role model where marriage is concerned. I mean, a couple of months ago I noticed you seemed a bit down, Alan, but since then, well, you've never seemed happier."

I didn't know how to explain, in fact she was so right, but things had changed in the previous two months.