‘We better go.’ Melissa stands up. ‘Paul’s home; he gets lonely without us.’

‘You’re covered with grass.’ Eve helps her brush off the clinging fragments; as they walk to the car together she stoops to pick a bunch of red peonies from the border and when they reach the driveway she puts them into Melly’s hand.

‘Thanks.’ Melissa clutches the flowers. ‘For everything.’

The children are silent after Izzy’s departure. Sorrel leans against Eve as she picks Ash up and wraps her spare arm around Poppy, but her eldest daughter shrugs her off. She walks down the drive, staring at the grooves Melissa’s car has scored in the gravel as if she wants to follow them to her friend’s house.

‘I really want to do something for Melly.’ They are clearing supper; the children settled in bed. ‘She seemed down today, a little tearful. I imagine Izzy’s a handful at times.’ She passes Eric the plates which he stacks in the dishwasher. ‘It’s Ash’s birthday at the end of term, let’s have a party. I’ll invite Charley, Blake and Izzy. Melly and Paul can come, Martin too, of course, and Grace if she’s free.’

She’ll lay on a feast, buy a new dress, wear make-up for once. She hasn’t bothered for months, years even. Eric has never liked make-up. He thinks it makes her look like someone else; she is prettier without, he told her. At the time she was charmed, but she can’t help thinking it would be fun to look like someone else for a change.

‘What about Ash’s other friends?’ Eric takes the glass from her hands.

‘I think he likes these ones the best. He likes their parents as well.’

Eric rinses the knives without replying, then slots them carefully into the dishwasher basket.

‘All right, I’m fond of them too. It’s not like we know masses of people round here.’ Eve addresses his back; she bends to stroke the dog’s ears. ‘It’s strange, but I feel as if we’ve known them for years.’

He nods without replying so she stops talking and they continue to stack the dishes side by side in silence.

Grace

‘How was it today?’ Grace asks.

‘How was what?’ Martin is comparing the prices of organic and ordinary bananas and doesn’t look up.

‘I wish you wouldn’t do that.’ Grace puts a giant bag of potatoes in the trolley and pushes it on down the aisle. Martin hurries after her.

‘Do what?’

‘Pretend you don’t know what I mean.’