‘Ruby, will you please get off your high horse and drop your standards for an hour or so while Bonnie and I try to enjoy your company at the park?’ He picks Bonnie up, and whispers, ‘Stare at her until she gives up’ into her ear, loud enough for me to hear it. They both, trying not to laugh, squint their eyes, as if waiting for me to say something. I hold as long as I can, insisting that they are being ridiculous.

‘OK, OK, but you will not eat that entire bar of chocolate all by yourself, OK?’ I say, warning my daughter with my scowl and starting to walk away.

‘There she is, I knew she was still in there somewhere,’ Liam says, referring to my softer side. ‘And of course she won’t, half of it is mine. Right Bon Bon?’ he says, making her scream, ‘NO WAY.’ They both laugh so hard you would think someone just cracked an incredible joke.

‘Are you coming or not?’ I ask firmly, a small smile trying to break out from underneath my stern expression. Liam passes me the two paper bags bulging with food and helps Bonnie up to his shoulders.

‘Do you have to …’ I start to say, before Liam stops me with a defiant look and a cheeky wink. He storms past me, Bonnie screaming with delight way above his head.

‘Well wait for me,’ I say, catching them up. ‘Bonnie, hold on please.’

‘Chase us, Mummy,’ she says, as if she has never been happier.

‘So tell me more about this mouse,’ Liam asks, as he lays copious amount of food out on top of the paper bag that he has fashioned into a base for our picnic.

‘Mummy caught it,’ Bonnie says, proudly.

‘Oh, she did? With her hands?’ Liam asks her, winking at me.

‘No! In a bucket,’ Bonnie says, correcting him. ‘She caught it in a bucket and we took it to the park and let it go back to its family.’

‘Wow, it sounds like you two are a super hero duo.’

‘We are,’ Bonnie says, raising her hand as if to punch me. I close my eyes expecting impact, but Liam explains.

‘It’s a fist bump,’ he tells me.

‘A what?’

‘She is giving you a fist bump, look.’

He punches Bonnie’s hand, and they both look very pleased. Bonnie holds her clenched fist up to me again. I punch it and feel a million years old and totally out of the loop.

‘Daddy, did you know that Mummy is hairy like a mouse?’ Bonnie says. The piece of apple I just ate jamming in my throat, causing me to cough like I just smoked a Marlboro Red in one drag.