‘I don’t know,’ I say helplessly. ‘Except he was very shocked when I told him Brent Lewis lives in a trailer.’

‘Why shouldn’t he live in a trailer?’ Mum’s voice is shrill again. ‘What business is it of Dad’s where this man lives?’

‘He kept saying, “It shouldn’t have happened,”’ I say, remembering. ‘But I have no idea what that meant.’

‘I don’t know what flight he’s on, or where he’s staying … Do I follow him? Do I stay here? It’s Becky,’ I hear her saying in a muffled voice. ‘The sherry’s on the second shelf, Janice.’ She returns to the line. ‘Becky, I don’t know what to do. Janice said it’s his mid-life crisis, but I said, “Janice, we already had that with the guitar lessons. So what’s this?”’

‘Mum, calm down. It’ll be fine.’

‘He’s bound to come to you, Becky. Keep an eye on him, love. Please.’

‘I will. I’ll call you as soon as I hear anything.’

I ring off and instantly start texting Dad.

Dad. Where are you? Call me!!! Becky xxx

God, what a drama. What is Dad doing? I send the text and turn round, wondering why I can hear laughter. At once my heart plunges in horror.

Sage is posing for the cameras in an exaggerated starlet way, and Minnie is copying her perfectly. Her hand is on her hip, her head is cocked at an angle and she’s tilting her shoulders back and forth, just like Sage. Everyone is roaring and the cameras are snapping.

‘Stop!’ I say furiously. I scoop Minnie up, and press her head against my chest, out of sight. ‘Please don’t use those pictures!’ I say to the photographers. ‘She’s only a little girl.’

‘Want do waving!’ Minnie struggles to escape from my grasp. ‘Want do WAVING!’

‘No more waving, darling,’ I say, kissing her head. ‘I don’t want you waving at those people.’

‘Becky, relax!’ says Sage. ‘She better get used to it, right? Anyhow, she loves the limelight, don’t you, cupcake?’ She ruffles Minnie’s hair. ‘We need to get you an agent, munchkin. Aren’t you launching your own family reality show, Becky?’ she adds to me. ‘That’s what Aran said. Smart move.’

‘I don’t know,’ I say, feeling harassed. ‘I need to talk it over with Luke. Look, I’d better take Minnie inside.’

‘Sure,’ says Sage gaily. ‘We’ll talk soon, OK?’

As Sage disappears off in her SUV, I hurry into the house and shut the huge front door. My heart is thumping, and my thoughts are all confused. I don’t know what to focus on first; my brain is skittering about so madly. Dad. Reality show. Minnie. Press. Sage. Lois. Dad.

I can’t believe Dad is coming to LA. It’s insane. Dad doesn’t belong in LA, he belongs at home. In the garden. At his golf club.

‘Bex!’ Suze comes into the hall and eyes me in surprise. ‘Are you OK?’

I realize I’m backed up against the front door as though I’m sheltering from attack.