‘Still, did you see how many retweets? Over three thousand. It’s mad!’ Justin from down the road said.

‘I will speak to him, love,’ Lenny said, addressing his wife’s concern.

‘I heard it on the radio,’ Jack’s oldest friend Gerry said. ‘I don’t understand social media. I can’t get my head around it – a young boy can communicate with the entire country from his bedroom! It’s mad.’

‘Not just the country,’ Bernard explained. There’s a few retweets in Germany, France and the UK.’

‘Bananas,’ Gerry said.

Grace felt heartsick. ‘I just don’t understand why Ryan would do that.’

‘He was just showing off,’ Stephen said.

‘Well 3,044 retweets – no, wait, 3,045 retweets is cool,’ Bernard said, looking at his phone.

‘It’s not cool, Bernard, it’s sickening,’ Grace said. ‘And your brother is . . .’

‘. . . trying to make us laugh,’ Molly said.

‘Well he’s doing a very poor job of it,’ Grace said.

‘Rabbit would laugh,’ Molly said.

Marjorie nodded. ‘She’s right.’

‘But it’s not funny, Ma.’ Tears brimmed in Grace’s eyes.

Molly put her arm around her eldest daughter. ‘I know, love.’ She kissed her head as tears spilled down Grace’s face.

‘She’s not a punchline,’ she said, crying into Molly’s chest. Dear God, help me. Please help me. Everyone else in the room became quiet, Grace’s rawness reminding them that the people serving them drink and food were heartbroken.

All of Davey’s old bandmates – Francie, Jay, Louis and Kev – were standing together with their wives. Jay pushed forward, raised his glass and addressed the crowd. Francie followed suit, and within seconds the entire room were holding up their glasses and waiting in silence.

‘To Rabbit Hayes, you were loved and we will miss you whether you are here, there or nowhere,’ Jay said. Rabbit had not just been their sound engineer, she was their mascot and bouncer given half a chance. It was heartfelt and Jay was choked up.

‘Hear, hear!’ Francie said, and everyone drank to Rabbit’s memory and the room once again became noisy with chatter and buzz.