I nodded and smiled at the family next to us: two adults, three children. The dad looked relieved to be sitting. The kids were transfixed with their sparklers. The mum … Yes, she was hot and I’d sleep with her, but that wasn’t the point. We were the same, them and us: mother, father and offspring. If only Biddy would believe it.

No, ha, Sophie wasn’t Biddy’s only child – we had another back at the farm we owned just north of Numurkah, but he was sitting this one out with our nanny, Sarah.

‘What time do they start?’ Sophie said.

Biddy looked at her phone. ‘Oh gosh, it should be about –’

Kaboom. Gasps and cheers from the crowd, children screaming, laughing, clapping. Sophie … Sophie smiling, enjoying. It was for her – we were here for her … I’d kill for Sophie, Oliver too. Sarah might have killed Biddy’s chance to –

‘Wow,’ Sophie said.

Rockets and reports, a barrage in the Forest of Ardennes, it was –

‘Oh, what’s wrong?’ I said, my arm on Sophie’s shoulders. Biddy’s hands over Sophie’s ears.

‘They’re too loud,’ Biddy said. ‘Her ears are hurting.’

Peony shells, crossettes …

‘What was that?’ I shouted, cupping my ear.

Sophie looked scared. Kaboom.

‘They’re too loud,’ Biddy shouted. ‘Sophie says she –’

Another mine barrage, diadems, willows …

I bent over, kissed Sophie’s head, peeled back Biddy’s fingers. ‘You want to go?’

She nodded. I stood, lifted her onto my chest, held her head to my neck.

‘Your daughter’s hat,’ said a woman, handing it to Biddy.

* * *

‘No, sweetheart, it’s already after eleven,’ I said. ‘Olly will be asleep.’

Sarah was at the door, would have heard us coming up the driveway. Biddy was at the car still, getting her bag from the boot.

Sophie grabbed Sarah’s legs. ‘The fireworks were awesome, Mummy. And look, Daddy and Biddy got me these lollies. There are some here for Olly too.’

‘Oh wow,’ Sarah said. ‘We’ll keep those somewhere safe until morning, darling.’ She took the lolly bag.

I leant in, kissed her on the cheek, wiped my lips with the back of my hand, wished Biddy would hurry up. ‘How are you?’

She shrugged. ‘Yeah, good, hun. Olly’s been asleep since about eight-thirty. I reckon he’ll be fine in the morning. Ed and Margot went to bed about an hour ago.’

‘Hey,’ Biddy said, stopping, smiling, not leaning in. She was mad at Sarah, had to be – until now, they’d always kissed on the lips. Hello and goodbye smooches. It was enough to make you sick.

‘And guess what?’ Sophie said, tugging at Sarah’s T-shirt. ‘The fireworks were so loud they nearly blew my mind.’

‘My goodness,’ Sarah said. ‘That’s loud.’