The mood amongst the three of them had changed the second Naomi and the girls arrived back; it was as if they spontaneously relaxed. Breezing in with laughter and chatter and armfuls of shopping bags, it was obvious they had enjoyed a better day than their menfolk.

Now, in the sultry warmth of the evening as they sat around the table on the verandah, with dusk complete and the twinkling fairy lights hanging from the glass roof acting like stars above their heads, Ellis sipped his rosé wine thoughtfully.

For the last few minutes he’d been observing Rick through the flickering flames of the candles on the table. Seated next to Willow, he was leaning in particularly close to her with one of his hands absently twirling a lock of her hair. The gesture was so extraordinarily intimate, Ellis felt uncomfortable observing it, but found himself unable to look away. He had never seen a man openly do this to his partner before and while he wanted to believe it showed the depth of feeling Rick had for Willow, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was actually an act of possession. The thought so perturbed him, Ellis glanced around the table to see if anyone else was looking at Rick with the same curious absorption as he was.

The only one who was, was Martha, and the expression on her face was one of undisguised disgust, as though she’d just caught Rick picking his nose. Then without warning, and maybe because she couldn’t stand to watch any longer, she turned away and her gaze collided with Ellis’s. For the briefest of moments, their eyes held, but whatever she was thinking, there was no pursuing it as just then there was the sound of a mobile ringing. After some collective patting of pockets, the ringing mobile proved to be Willow’s.

‘Sorry,’ she apologised, finding her phone hiding under her napkin on the table. ‘Oh,’ she said, when she checked the screen, ‘it’s Lucy.’

His fingers still playing with her hair, Rick frowned. ‘Don’t answer it,’ he said, ‘it can wait.’

‘I think I should, you know, what with her miscarriage.’

With visible reluctance, Rick unwound the lock of hair from his fingers. ‘Go on then,’ he said with a shrug, ‘if you must. But hey,’ he added with a sudden smile, ‘don’t be long, you know how I miss you.’

They all watched Willow rise to her feet and walk away down the garden to talk to her friend in private. Turning back to look at them, Rick said, ‘I know what you’re thinking, that I’m just too romantic for my own good.’ He raised a hand in the air and smiled. ‘Guilty as charged, so shoot me now!’

‘Somebody pass me a gun,’ muttered Martha.

Tom laughed, but Naomi tutted. ‘Really, Martha.’

‘It’s okay, Mum, he knows I’m only kidding. Isn’t that right, Rick?’

The smile gone from his face, he was about to respond when they heard a cry from Willow.