Oh, help. I’d disintegrated into an emotional mess with no filter. Why was I pushing Henry on this?

His eyes flickered to mine briefly.

‘Why wouldn’t I have?’

‘I don’t know. I’m being paranoid. Forget I said anything.’

Because you need to know how he feels before you decide what to do about how Adam feels, a sly voice inside my head wheedled.

That wasn’t it at all! I’d loved Adam since I was fifteen years old. I’d hated Henry even longer. The recent revelation that he wasn’t a total dweeb would have no influence on what happened with me and Adam whatsoever. Pushing Henry for some sort of sign would only end up embarrassing us both and ruining the potential for far less awkward Armstrong-Fairfax get-togethers.

Henry hadn’t replied, but a crease appeared between his eyebrows that indicated he was formulating an answer. As he turned to speak, Dad sprang back on stage, and the crowd hushed, in anticipation of the evening’s highlight.

‘Friends and Charis House family. I could introduce our final act by telling you all about her phenomenal career. I could list her awards, her achievements, her glittering success spanning seven decades. But to me, of course, she is simply the best mother I could have hoped for, who happens to sing rather a lot. Would you please welcome our most truly spectacular talent, Joy Papplewick?’

It took Nana Joy an age to hobble onstage, her favourite purple shoes matching an ankle-length, sequined dress, but when she eventually made it to the spotlight, we were still clapping and cheering her every step. As she lifted her chin, one hand on the microphone, the other on a hip in her trademark pose, the room fell so silent we could have heard her false eyelashes flutter.

And then she opened her mouth, and the years fell away as she spent the next seven minutes doing what she’d been born to do. The tiny croak in her voice, the odd wobble on the high notes meant nothing. We were entranced, believing every word and feeling every note. After a heart-wrenching ballad, she finished off with the liveliest version of ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ I’d ever heard, bringing the whole room to their feet, stomping, clapping and belting along with her. I’d not known it was possible to smile so hard and cry at the same time.

To those who’d never seen it, calling a school Christmas show a ‘spectacular’ might seem somewhat over the top, a little grandiose.

That night, the description was perfect.