‘Thank you! And thank you guys for my gorgeous present, I love it.’ They have clubbed together to buy me a vase – and Bea has painted a face on it. They’ve also bought me a big bunch of sunflowers, which are now sitting on my kitchen table, the bright yellow petals reflecting how I feel inside. Bea pours a glass for us all. She has made us some smoked salmon nibbles too. We all say ‘cheers’.

‘Show us your room, then!’ Bea says, sipping on her bubbles and linking arms with me. Cec leaves her glass on the side.

We run down my tiny corridor as though we are sixteen again. I swing open the door and reveal my huge custom-made bed, positioned in the middle of the room, plants either side, with a view of the bustling streets of Soho. Light is streaming into the bedroom and reflects off the shiny leaves of the new plants. Everything feels like it is so full of life.

‘Huge bed!’ Bea says, she practically face-plants in it, her body planking and bouncing upwards. Isla and Cecily join her. Then me, trying not to spill my drink on my fresh linen sheets. Four in the bed again.

‘Where the magic happens,’ I say, leaning back with a smirk.

‘This is the life isn’t it, Ol?’ says Cec, looking out of the big window onto the Soho streets below.

‘It’s lush. Maybe I could bring a date back here one night when you and Marcus are away,’ Bea laughs, smoothing out the duvet and flicking her hair around.

‘Oh my god – yes,’ I laugh. Bea and Jeremy’s divorce was finalized around three and a half years ago now, and she is loving her new single status and the freedom it brings her. She is glowing, physically fitter than ever, and still manages to somehow remain friends with Jeremy while they co-parent – separately but pretty happily.

‘At least Oscar now sleeps in until at least 8 a.m. most days; I think the bags under my eyes are just about disappearing,’ Cec says.

‘Cheers to that,’ I say. Oscar is now five, and very polite, with a totally adorable side-parting. He has really grown on me. He calls me Auntie Ollie, which is pretty cute.

‘So, guys,’ Cec clears her throat. ‘I have a little house-warming gift for you, Ol, but it’s actually something for all of you.’ She reaches into her handbag and hands us each an envelope with our names on.

‘Oh, you are so sweet, Cec! Thank you,’ I say, taking the envelope. ‘Should we all open them together?’

‘Yeah!’ Cec says, shuffling around on the bed with excitement.

‘OK,’ I say. ‘One, two, three!’ We all tear the envelopes open, and pull out another small thin piece of card.

It is a scan. Of a baby.

I can see the shape of its tiny nose.

The curve of its back.

The outline of a foot.

Tears are suddenly brimming, fresh salty water that falls down my cheeks and into the corners of my mouth. Bea and Isla have the same reaction. Isla is smiling with her mouth closed, her face resting in her hand. Bea and I have our mouths hanging open.