Claude stops what he’s doing and sits back on his haunches.

‘Of course, Lewis is not with Emma,’ she says quickly. ‘Never was really,’ she adds before he can hit her with his full disapproval.

‘They have a kid together,’ Claude says.

‘She was a student when she got pregnant. It was one of those things. They went out for about five minutes.’

‘And Emma’s happy with this, is she? You seeing her kid’s dad? So messy, Yvonne.’

She’s met up with Emma twice since, once for a quick lunch in Brick Lane the month after she started seeing Lewis. Then again last month, when she was convinced she would tell her, but as they walked around the Horniman Museum she realised it would be impossible to do so with Kiama by their sides. Yvonne will tell her, of course she will, but it needs to be the right moment.

‘She doesn’t know, does she?’ Claude asks.

‘No. Not yet. But I will tell her, I’ll tell her as soon as—’

‘It’s your life.’ He pushes the bath panel back into place and stands. ‘But if you really thought she would be okay with this, you would have told her by now. This is rotten.’

‘What?’

‘Your bath panels are completely rotten.’

She stands opposite him and feels like the little idiot sister. ‘You can stay if you want? Have breakfast with us. Meet Lewis properly?’

‘Nah,’ Claude puts his hand on the door handle and she stops him. ‘I really like him.’ She’s looking for approval, for her brother who is the most wholesome, big-hearted of people to tell her to go ahead and fall in love with Lewis. But he simply nods his head and leaves.

‘Why is he taking so long?’ Emma snaps.

Keen to diffuse Emma’s growing annoyance, Yvonne says, ‘I think he’s packing his pyjamas.’

Tonight will be the first time they’ve gone out together in ages. Yvonne booked a restaurant and spent ages choosing an outfit. She’s rehearsed what she wants to say several times and even had a pep talk from Claude before she left the house.

‘Kiama,’ Emma screams into the hallway. ‘Come on. I don’t want Nana bitching at me again for not having you ready.’ She turns to Yvonne. ‘Are you sure this looks alright? I feel a bit frumpy. I never know what’s in fashion anymore.’

‘You look fine.’

Emma collects a few dirty plates and mugs from the coffee table then empties half a glass of water into a browning cheese plant on the windowsill. ‘I really don’t want Nana coming in to wait for him. The place is a mess.’

Yvonne peels a fork from a newspaper and fills the sink. Every time she comes here she promises herself she won’t clean.