Olivia went to stand beside him. It was like seeing an old black-and-white film on a TV with bad reception. She couldn’t make out what the babies looked like, even how big they were, they were just blobby outlines on the screen. A mobile was fixed over each crib, with plastic jungle animals on stalks but they weren’t moving.

‘That’s Isaac.’ Her father pointed to the restless little body on the left. ‘That’s Noah. He was a bit smaller when he was born and he’s much more placid. He never moves when he sleeps, but look at Isaac, tossing and turning. Funny, how different they are, how they’ve got their own personalities already.’

The kettle shrieked but he did not seem to hear it, he was absorbed in looking at his sons.

‘Jeff . . .’

‘What? Oh, yes, sorry, sorry.’

Madison rolled her eyes.

You could have done that, Olivia thought, you could have made the tea.

Madison was chomping on another biscuit.

‘I wish I could . . .’

‘Well, you can’t. They’re not very interesting anyway, babies don’t do much. Be better when they can play with you and you can take them for a walk, give me a break.’

Olivia could not make her out. ‘You don’t seem to like them,’ she said.

‘I bloody adore them, I’m crazy about them, what do you say that for? And Jeff does, can’t you tell?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well then. You’re a weird one, but I suppose it’s your age, I was like it.’

‘Like what?’

‘Weird, hormones starting to play up and all that. Anyway, you didn’t say why you weren’t properly dressed.’

‘No,’ Olivia said, pulling the packet of biscuits over, ‘I didn’t.’

‘Uh-oh, Isaac’s awake.’ The wail came at full volume through the monitor. Madison groaned. ‘Leave him, he might go off again.’

‘You know he never does, sweetheart. I’ll go, I’ll go. Coming up to see them, Oli?’

But as he asked, her phone rang. Olivia hesitated.

‘Better get it.’

‘No, it’s OK.’

‘Your mum?’

‘It won’t be anything. I want to see the twins.’

The babies had fallen silent again but Jeff still went stealthily into the room that adjoined the main bedroom, into which Olivia carefully did not look. The curtains were drawn and there was only a dull grey light from the overcast afternoon but it was enough for her to see at least Isaac clearly. He had gone back to sleep curled in a tight ball but his face was turned towards her. As she bent a little to look her phone rang.

‘Sorry, sorry . . . Oh God.’

The baby had hurtled awake and into a loud wail, and as she fled the room, the second twin woke too.

‘Bloody hell, now look what you’ve done.’ Madison came thumping up the stairs. ‘Stupid girl.’

‘I didn’t –’

‘Oh get out of the way. Jeff?’