It’s the last thing I want to ask but it’s all I could think of.

‘They’re OK; I mean, it’s not really a big affair. My mom would kill me if we planned anything big. It’s actually quite nice not having to do the whole bachelorette stuff and the bridal shower. But it’ll be nice, intimate, won’t it, Joel?’

‘What?’ he asks. He’d been tickling Alfie who’s at his feet. He picks him up and turns him round so that he goes crawling back the other way towards his dad.

‘I was just saying how intimate our wedding was going to be,’ repeats Verity.

Whilst Verity is talking, Soph walks in with a tray of hot drinks and places it on the ledge of the bay window that’s just about out of Alfie’s reach for now.

‘I think that’s so lovely,’ says Soph. ‘If we were ever to get married – which we’re not, for the record – then I’d want it to be a small gathering of people. Minimal fuss and feels more personal.’ She perches on the armchair next to Brett and he squeezes her hand.

At these words, Verity wraps her hand around Joel’s in affection and I feel a stab of pain in my heart. Brett starts reminiscing about the party at my flat, and I try my best to follow the conversation, all the while avoiding looking at the happy couple.

By mid-afternoon I’m itching to leave. Soph cooked us all a big pasta dish for lunch and I’ve managed to escape the room by helping Brett with the washing-up. I put the last of the plates back in the cupboard.

‘Thanks for helping,’ says Brett.

‘You’re welcome.’

I don’t tell him that I’m grateful for him letting me hide away in the kitchen. I hand him the wet tea towel and he pops it in the washing machine.

‘I just want to say thank you.’

‘You already thanked me once.’

‘No, sorry, I meant, I wanted to thank you properly, for helping Soph.’

‘With what?’

He leans back on the kitchen worktop.

‘For being her friend again and for bringing back some of the old Soph. I think becoming a mum hit her harder than she expected it; in fact, it all hit us both harder than we expected. We had no idea how difficult it was going to be. I’ve had it easier as I’ve been able to carry on as normal working while she’s had to do everything. But over the summer, I’ve seen glimmers of her as her old self again, and not just as Alfie’s mum. She’s seemed so much happier, and I can’t help but think that it’s because of you.’

I’m so touched because, if anything, she’s done that for me.