My mother was in the dining room at the back: west facing, it had double doors giving out on to the garden. The house was on the part of the hill that shelved higher than the houses below it, so the garden had a southerly aspect too. Sometimes I wondered why I’d moved to the other side of town when the mountainous northside had all the best views, and a lot more sun. A visit home always reminded me why. I loved my parents, but having the river between us was healthier.

Mam saw Davy, but said nothing until she had kissed me. Once that was out of the way, she started to scold me, but for show, rather than with any real intent.

‘Finn, you’re very bold, why didn’t you tell me you were bringing a visitor?’

‘Mam, this is my friend Davy,’ I said.

‘Pleased to meet you, Mrs Fitz,’ Davy said.

I choked back a laugh. Mam wasn’t going to like being called ‘Mrs Fitz’.

‘My name is Doreen.’

‘Pleased to meet you, Doreen,’ Davy said. ‘I just dropped Finn over, don’t worry, I won’t be staying long, I don’t want to intrude.’

She smiled.

‘Intrude my eye. Nobody ever intruded in this house.’

Which wasn’t quite true.

‘You’re staying for your lunch and that’s that,’ Mam said. ‘Tell him, Jim.’

‘I wouldn’t argue with her, if I were you,’ Dad said. ‘Many a man has tried and failed. I gave up years ago myself. ’Twasn’t worth it.’

‘Would you listen to what I’ve to put up with, Davy? Sit down there and Jim will get you a drink.’

‘No thanks, Doreen, I’m driving and, em, I don’t drink anyway. But I’d love lunch.’

I could see my mother weighing up what Davy had said. On the one hand, being a careful driver was a positive. On the other hand, being a teetotaller raised questions. If you want to find the alcoholic in the pub, the old joke went, look for the man drinking soda water. Her mouth tightened by a few millimetres, and she double-blinked. She was thinking about it. But when it came down to it, women liked Davy, and Mam was a woman with an eye for a good-looking man.

‘That’s settled so,’ she said.

She smoothed her thick, grey, curly hair, the only part of her she had never been able to control, and nodded. She had decided to approve of this development. For the present.