‘For all of us. A breather. It was you, James, who didn’t want any of us to come with you to Saigon, I seem to remember. So,’ I changed tack to deflect the inevitable row, ‘did it go well?’

‘Yes,’ he said shortly. ‘I got everything I needed. It’s all on.’

‘Brilliant.’ The kettle snapped off. ‘Listen, I’m knackered. I’m going to have a kip. That last margarita didn’t go down very well, I have to admit. Tea’s in the pot.’

‘OK.’ He’d started rifling through the post on the table.

‘You can tell me all about Vietnam later, yeah?’

‘Not much to tell,’ he shrugged indifferently. ‘Got what I needed, that’s all. We can relax again.’

Upstairs I got straight into the shower, as hot as I could bear it, and scrubbed myself from head to toe. Then I drew the curtains and got into bed, but I couldn’t sleep, despite my exhaustion. I just wanted my children – wanted Effie’s plump little arms, and Freddie’s fat tummy, Alicia’s skinny frame – all in bed with me now. I couldn’t wait to see them.

I’d just dozed off when the doorbell rang. I checked the clock; it was still much too early for my mother to have made it all the way from Derbyshire. I got up anyway, disappointed, and walked out onto the landing in my dressing gown.

‘Who was it?’ I called to James.

‘What?’ His voice was distant.

‘Who was at the door?’

‘I thought you got it.’

‘Oh, for God’s sake,’ I muttered. I went down to the kitchen and rang my parents’ house. My father answered.

‘Hi, Dad,’ I said jovially. ‘Just checking what time Mum left.’

‘She’s here,’ he said.

‘Running late?’ I said, my heart sinking. I’d never craved my children’s presence more than this second. ‘Can I talk to the kids, please?’

‘What do you mean?’ my father said. I heard my mother enter the room behind him. ‘Hang on, Rose. Speak to your mum.’

I doodled a heart in two halves on the pad by the phone. A dead fly twirled on a thread from the windowframe.

‘Hello, lovey. Had a good break?’

‘Sort of,’ I mumbled. ‘Looking forward to seeing my monsters, I must say.’

‘I’ll bet. Sorry we’re not going to see you today, but actually it’s worked out quite well. It means I can play bridge with Marge later.’

‘What do you mean, not going to see me? Can I speak to Alicia, please?’

‘They’ve gone already,’ she said brightly. ‘They left about half an hour ago. They were so excited to go in that big car. And what a lovely man. So good with them all.’

Cold sweat broke out on my upper lip. ‘What?’ I croaked. ‘What are you talking about? What man?’