‘Goodness, I had no idea.’

‘That makes two of us.’

I suddenly realize I’ve got more in common with Madeleine than I thought. She’s not the only one looking for answers. I’m still struggling to make sense of it all.

‘Olivia, you poor, poor thing, you must be devastated.’

‘Thanks, but I’m OK.’

‘But are you really?’

Madeleine’s head-tilting is so out of control, it’s practically horizontal.

‘Didn’t you hear her? She’s just fine,’ snaps Naomi, glaring at my neighbour as if she’s one of her disruptive pupils. ‘Spare your concern for the new girlfriend.’ Stepping closer, she leans towards Madeleine’s ear as if letting her in on a secret. ‘David has a tiny penis.’

Madeleine blinks rapidly.

‘Seriously. Tiny!’ Naomi pinches her thumb and finger together to make her point even clearer. ‘Liv is going on to much bigger and better things.’

‘Goodness, is that the time already?’ Clutching at her wristwatch, Madeleine steps backwards and misses her footing. She stumbles over the kerb in her sock-slippers. ‘Well, I must be getting on . . . I’ve got the grandchildren coming over. Safe journey, Olivia.’ And, beating a hasty retreat up her path, she disappears behind her front door.

‘Well, that got rid of her.’

‘Why on earth did you say that?’ Finding my voice, I round on Naomi.

‘I don’t know,’ she confesses and, admittedly, she does look sheepish. ‘Still, it’s not like she’s going to see David again, is it?’

‘He’s their dentist.’

She claps her hand over her mouth, looking stricken.

‘Shi-it!’

For a moment we stare at each other, then she bursts out laughing and I can’t help but do so too. It’s infectious.

‘I’m such a juvenile. I get it from teaching thirteen-year-olds.’ Naomi stops laughing and pulls an anguished expression. ‘Sorry, Liv, she was just so annoying; the way she was going on at you, trying to get gossip under the guise of being concerned.’

‘Don’t be. I can’t remember the last time I actually laughed.’ I shake my head, remembering poor Madeleine’s face, then check my watch. ‘It’s getting late – I should go. I’ve got a long drive ahead of me.’

‘If I get up to Scotland at Easter to see the folks, I’ll try to come and visit you. Ellie hasn’t seen her grandparents in forever.’

‘That would be great.’

But I know it’s unlikely. Naomi’s relationship with her churchgoing parents has been strained ever since she announced her decision to have a child on her own with the help of a sperm donor. Now they couldn’t love their granddaughter more, but in the beginning it caused a deep rift. More recently their disapproval of Naomi’s boyfriend Danny, a musician, has been the cause of more discord.

‘Promise to keep in touch.’

‘Promise.’

We give each other a hug, and then I climb into the car. I’m putting on my seatbelt when she raps on the window. I buzz it down.

‘I did mean what I said, you know. About the other thing. I do think you’re going on to much bigger and better things.’