‘You could pay someone to do that,’ said Aiden.

‘Yes,’ said Dad, drying his hands. ‘But I enjoy it and what else am I going to do with my time?’

‘Something useful?’ said Aiden.

Dad gave us both a strange look at that. He sat slowly at the kitchen table and scratched his head.

‘How about a video game?’ he suggested after a long silence. ‘If you guys have finished breakfast, I’m willing to kick your nearly-birthday bums at a game of your choice. You have been warned.’

‘Sounds great, Dad,’ said Aiden.

And the smile he gave appeared warm. And genuine.

‘Oh, my God,’ I said. ‘Is that what I think it is?’

Mum placed the box down carefully on the kitchen table. There was a scuffling sound coming from it and the box rocked gently. It had air holes punched in its sides and a big red bow perched on the top.

‘And how would I know what you think it is?’ Mum replied. She smiled. ‘You’ll have to forgive me, Ashleigh, but my psychic powers are a bit off today.’

‘It is what I think it is,’ I said.

‘Then you won’t need to open the box,’ said Dad. ‘Let’s put it away.’ And he pretended to start doing just that.

I glanced at Aiden. He was looking a lot better now. He’d had a long sleep after we’d thrashed Dad at four different video games and his eyes were shining with excitement. It was almost unbearable for both of us. We wanted to open the box, but the anticipation was so delicious it seemed a shame to ruin it.

‘You open it, Ashleigh,’ said Aiden.

‘No, you,’ I replied. ‘I’d like you to open it.’

So he did. He shouted with delight and put his hands into the box while I forced myself to be patient. In fact I even closed my eyes. I didn’t know whether it was a cat or a dog, but I really wanted a dog. Please make it a dog. Look, it’s fine if it’s a cat, but…

It gave the most adorable woof and I opened my eyes immediately. Love at first sight. Before first sight, really. The dog was small and furry and it had a little pug nose and its tail was wagging as if it was polishing the kitchen table and it was the most glorious, wonderful, fabulous, amazing birthday gift we’d ever got and I just had to hold it and stroke it and cuddle it and …

‘It’s gorgeous, Mum,’ said Aiden. He looked up, eyes still shining, but immediately looked at the dog again, which sat on the table, tail still swirling, moving its head from side to side, and watching us with spheres of liquid brownness. I moved over next to Aiden and ran my hands through the dog’s fur, scratched under its chin. It gazed up at me and I swear I saw love in those eyes.