‘Well, nothing’s set in stone. I mean, I’d have to apply and there’s no guarantee I’ll get a place. Especially as I want to do an in-school training scheme. But Claudia who’s the teacher that helps with Big Little Readers, she said she’d help me with the application.’

‘That’s kind of her.’

‘I know. And it’ll take at least a year because the applications are only just open for next September’s intake, so it’s not like I’d be leaving straight away. I’ll have time for a proper handover and to recruit someone. To help with restructuring the company.’

Dad turns his head and looks at Julie.

‘Yes, and who knows, maybe it’d be a good time for me to take more of a step back too. Julie and I have been thinking and we might do a little bit of travelling.’

I’d been drinking my water and I almost splutter it across the table.

‘What? Am I hearing you right?’

Julie looks as shocked as I do.

‘Well, we all know that I wouldn’t want to step down completely, I won’t be retiring early or anything. But I guess it wouldn’t hurt for me to take a few more holidays a year and maybe longer ones.’

‘I thought you hated the sound of those?’ she says, surprised.

‘Well, I’ve already given up booze, and now I’ve got to give up cheese and fats and my true food loves, so I’ve got to have something in life that’s a pleasure.’

‘Too right,’ I say.

We sit there for a moment in silence and I can’t believe how free I feel. All these years I was too afraid to say anything.

‘So I guess this means now that I’ve told you that I’m thinking of doing this, I’ve got go through with it. Let’s hope I get accepted.’

‘And if you don’t then you’ll come up with another plan.’ Julie shrugs like it’s no big deal. ‘I feel like this is some sort of occasion we need to celebrate.’

‘Oh, great idea. I think there’s usually a bottle of sparkling apple juice lurking at the back of a cupboard.’

‘And I could go for a bacon sandwich,’ says Dad.

‘I’ve got some fake bacon. You’d never know the difference.’

‘Believe me, you know,’ he says with a groan.

‘Well, perhaps we could have a celebratory meal. I’ve been experimenting with some of the recipes I found on the website to prevent heart disease and I’m sure I could cobble something together.’

‘Surely we could make an exception for one meal. A nice juicy steak or—’

‘No, one of those recipes will be fine. Is it so wrong that I want to keep you around for another twenty years?’ she says.

‘Twenty? I’m going for thirty at least.’