To say I was impressed was an understatement. This, my first time to witness the cycle of life in such a fashion, was a revelation which affected me deeply, because we Walshes had grown up to shun the Outside, mostly because the lead on the telly didn’t stretch that far. The small back garden beyond our kitchen window was a frightening, unpredictable place, which we all agreed was best avoided.

But on that Sunday morning with Garv, I’d exclaimed, ‘Let’s plant more! What grows the quickest?’

He’d laughed and said he’d find out. Then I’d told him not to, that I really needed to work on my desire for instant gratification.

It was hard to believe there had been a time when I’d despised Garv, when all of us had—with the exception of Margaret, of course. But things change and these days Garv might even have been my favourite brother-in-law—it was between him and Adam. He was such a good man.

‘Enchiladas?’ Margaret repeated.

‘Thanks, but…’ I checked my phone. Still nothing from Kate. ‘I’ve to go home. Crunchie needs to be walked.’

Kate was great at providing back-up but at the end of the day, Crunchie was my dog.

Still, I lingered, then heard myself say, ‘You know, I can’t stop wondering if Luke actually asked Joey to tell me?’

‘Maybe you should have gone to Justin’s lunch.’ Out loud, Claire uttered the thought that had been plaguing me.

Maybe I should have. It had been my one chance to get answers. But perhaps if I’d gone, I’d be even more conflicted than I already was.

‘Is it too late?’ Margaret, ever practical, asked. ‘To see him now, I mean. He’s probably staying with his dad; you could go to his house.’

‘No!’ Helen exclaimed.

But it was tempting. The full weight of six years of silence upended themselves and fired me with adrenaline. The fizzy possibility of knowing was so alluring!

But what if Joey had called me off his own bat? What if Luke had been horrified to see me in the church—because God knows, he’d looked it? What if I turned up on his doorstep and he treated me with the same callous indifference he’d displayed when he’d left me?

No. No way. There was zero chance I’d risk that scenario. Which made me glad. It meant I’d changed, that I was no longer a desperate mess but a solid woman who knew her own worth.

‘Don’t go anywhere near that asshole.’ Helen was fierce. ‘Come home with me and have a three-way with Artie.’

‘Now there’s an offer!’ Mum said, warmly.

‘Or we could get pizzas and watch stuff?’ Helen said. ‘Whatever you want. Just don’t start driving around Dublin looking for Luke Costello.’