I heard Edward’s voice: ‘Mum, it was weird! This man came to take us to games but he didn’t, he took us to the beach—’

Edward came into the kitchen. He put down his school-bag, and the football, and stared at me.

I grinned. ‘Was there a stink?’

‘Nobody knew who he was! Who you were.’ He gazed at me, round-eyed. ‘They had this man in from the coach place, and they kept asking him questions. They were ever so angry.’

I chuckled, and Edward started laughing too. Just for a moment I felt I was somebody significant. Perhaps, in a small way, I would always be. In years to come, boys would talk about me with bated breath and wide eyes, as if I was a mythological figure. Something even their Dads could never match. The Superman of Deal; the Phantom Coach Driver. It was probably the only mysterious thing I’d ever done in my life.

Then he saw Hilda and flung himself into her arms.

‘Aunty Bun,’ he mumbled, buried in her chest. I realized, with surprise, that he was as tall as she was.

Hilda untangled herself and fished out a paper bag. ‘Didn’t have time to make any, but I found a shop.’

He took something out of the bag. ‘Chocolate shortbread,’ he breathed.

‘The chocolate’s not thick enough,’ she said knowledgeably. ‘But then it never is, when it’s bought.’

He munched in silence, his eyes closed. His shoes were tied with multi-coloured laces. On his blazer he wore a badge saying Give a Gnurg a Home. The three of us sat there, gazing at him.

Vicky came in and installed herself on Hilda’s knee. I said: ‘What about these fireworks then?’

‘Where are they, Mum?’ demanded Edward.

‘I was going to buy some when I closed the shop, but I forgot.’

‘Spasmo-brain!’ he said.

‘What’s spasmo-brain?’ I asked.

Lesley got up and tipped her ashtray into the bin. ‘Something mothers are.’ With her boot, she tried to squash down the content of the bin; it was as overflowing as mine, back in London.

I stood up. ‘I’ll get them.’ I turned to Edward. ‘Coming?’

‘Are we going in the coach?’

I nodded. He pocketed some more shortbread and rushed out. We heard the front door bang.

I turned to Lesley. ‘See you tomorrow, then.’

She froze. Then she actually smiled.

I put on my anorak.

‘Christ,’ she said. ‘You’ve joined the CND.’

‘People can change,’ I said. ‘I’ve even stopped smoking.’

She raised her eyebrows. Then she said: ‘Remember some sparklers.’

Just for a moment, we sounded like a proper family.

The air was clear and frosty. Even in this suburban street there was the tang of the sea. Behind the rooftops a rocket shot into the sky and exploded in glitter. Edward and I climbed into the coach.