It wasn’t as if I intended to go through with it, but somehow I heard myself speaking as if I did. ‘Don’t we need two witnesses? So won’t that be six in the room?’

The way his cheeks moved up and his brow moved down was so subtle that even if you knew him well you’d have to look closely to realise his face had tightened. ‘I’ll take care of the witnesses.’ I understood what this meant. He didn’t want Peggy and James and Milly at our fantasy wedding. ‘So is that a yes?’

I would do nothing to wind him up. Peace was the one thing I wanted, for those last two weeks. ‘Yes. A very happy yes.’ I kissed my hand, then touched his head with it, surprised to find the faintest trace of a five o’clock shadow on his scalp. He normally shaved it twice a day – the omission must have been a sign that he was under pressure.

My mobile rang. Zac picked it up from the tiled counter where I’d left it. I stepped towards him as he held it up. Milly’s name was flashing across the screen, decorated with the flower and heart emojis I’d attached to it. Calling Milly Pulsating Heart Cherry Blossom, the phone said aloud, whenever I instructed it to dial her number. ‘More like Milly Stake-Through-the-Heart Bloodflower,’ Zac once said, making me laugh even though I tried not to.

‘You don’t want to talk to her now,’ Zac said.

‘Yes I do.’ I reached for the phone. ‘I can’t ignore her. Please, Zac. She’s going through a bad time.’

‘It’s an intrusion.’

‘Give me my phone.’ His jaw stiffened. I’d blown the Do not do anything to upset him rule. ‘Please,’ I said again.

Slowly, he extended his arm, but with a look that made it clear the subject wasn’t closed, that he certainly wasn’t going to leave the kitchen so I could talk to her alone, and that if I exited the room he would follow me.

I pressed the green button to accept the call as I lowered myself into a chair. As soon as I did, there was the sound of uncontrollable sobbing. Zac rolled his eyes.