I’m feeling full and sleepy as I relax in an armchair after lunch. Greg is chatting to Dad about work, Gloria and Andy are next door dealing with the washing-up and Mum is sitting on the floor playing some kind of card game with Isaac while Tash watches on warily. I’m not entirely sure what the rules of the game are, but it seems to me that Mum is changing them regularly in her favour.

My eyelids are just beginning to droop when I’m startled awake by another ping from my phone. I slide it out of my pocket as surreptitiously as I can, but I can tell Tash already has half an eye on me. It’s a text message again.

Hi Tilly. So sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Things have been a bit tricky with Mum so I’ve had my hands full. Anyway, I’m not sure what your shift pattern looks like, but I’d love to take you out to lunch one day next week if you’re available? I know dinner is the traditional thing but I need to be around in the evenings and at weekends for Mum – hope you understand. Let me know – I’ve got everything crossed that the answer will be yes. Luke x. PS – now you have my number so can text me any time!

‘What is it?’ Somehow Tash has crossed the room at the speed of light and is sitting beside me, looking expectantly at my phone. Nobody else seems to be taking the slightest bit of interest, so I carefully angle the screen so she can read the message. ‘Seems legit,’ she remarks. ‘What are you going to do?’

‘I’m going to say yes, obviously. I’m not on shift again until Wednesday so I could meet him on Tuesday if he’s around. But I’m going to let him stew for a while before I reply. I accept his excuse, but I still want him to get a taste of his own medicine. I’ll send something tonight, before I go to bed. Or maybe tomorrow morning. I’ll see how I feel. I don’t want him thinking I’m hanging around waiting for texts from him and devouring them the moment they arrive, like some love-struck teenager.’

‘Of course you aren’t,’ she says with a snigger. ‘All that palaver when you lost your phone in the car wasn’t you acting like a love-struck teenager at all.’

I can feel myself blushing. She knows me too well.

‘There’s just one problem with your plan,’ Tash observes after a few moments. ‘Won’t the ticks go blue his end so he’ll know you’ve read it?’

I look at the phone again. ‘No. He’s used text rather than WhatsApp, so I don’t think it tells him.’

‘Really? Who does that? It’s so last century.’