I sit at the table and Mabel joins us, getting herself all cosy by the washing machine. Kit takes down a large Jacob’s cracker box from the tins cupboard and tells me to open it. Inside, it’s full of broken chocolate, all sorts, from white to milk to dark.

‘Easter eggs,’ Kit says without moving his lips. ‘Gareth thinks I took our eggs into work, you know, so we could kick start our wedding diet. But I lied. I bashed them all up and put them in here.’

‘You do know marriage is based on trust?’

Kit wafts a hand in my face and pops a triangle of white chocolate into his mouth. Mabel jumps onto his knee and he kisses her and tickles her, whilst I dig in to the cracker box. Kit clears his throat, leans in and speaks with his mouth half full.

‘Guess who’s not coming the wedding?’

‘I thought we weren’t talking about the wedding.’

‘Hush. Guess.’

‘Erm. I give up.’

‘You’re no fun anymore.’

‘Glad you noticed.’ I bite into a long slab of dark chocolate. ‘Come on, who?

‘Gareth’s dad.’

‘Fuck.’

‘Pulled out “officially” a few weeks ago. Work commitments, apparently.’

‘What?!’

‘Gareth was devastated, but he’s kind of relieved now. Bastard.’

‘God. I got the feeling they weren’t best mates, but this.’

‘I know, it’s been quite the drama, sis.’

The bitter cocoa coats my back teeth and I lick it with my tongue. I had no idea about this situation. My mum hadn’t mentioned it, I don’t think. Kit’s rubbing the back of his neck, something he does to distract himself from biting the skin around his thumb when he’s anxious.

‘Sorry, Kit. I must’ve missed this, you know, with Jack dying.’

‘It was before then. Around the time you moved to London.’

‘Oh,’ I say, sensing the disappointment he’s trying to mask. ‘Ah, shit. Is this why you kept ringing me? I thought you were gonna try to persuade me not to move in with Jack.’

Kit puts the lid on the Jacob’s cracker box and snatches it away from me.

‘I’d never do that, sis. I’ve got me own life to worry about.’

I swallow, feel a burning in my cheeks. ‘I honestly didn’t have a clue.’

Kit rustles my already messy hair.

‘No probs, sis. You were in your little Chloe bubble.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Oh, come on. You’ve always been all or nothing when it comes to men.’

‘Hardly. Jack was the first fella I’d ever moved in with. At my age!’ I push my chair back a little. ‘You saying Jack was just another fling?’

Kit slaps his hands over his eyes and shakes out his head.