My mother regaled me with tales of Patrick, how they’d met and, more revoltingly, how he didn’t need Viagra, even at sixty. All I could think about was Dad. There was no denying I was a daddy’s girl and his untimely death destroyed our little family. I lost both parents overnight. Four gins down and I was struggling to hold my tongue. The urge to shake my mother by the shoulders was compulsive and I balled my hands into fists under the table.

‘I came here to let you know, because when I sell the house I’m going to send you half. It would have been your dad’s half and it’ll make a huge dent in the mortgage of this place.’

‘I don’t care about the money.’

‘Don’t be so ungrateful,’ she snapped, slapping her hand on the table. She wasn’t slurring yet, but it wouldn’t be long. I needed to turn this conversation around. I needed to get her some food to soak up the alcohol. ‘You’ll like him. I promise. I’m drinking less, he’s trying to help me stop altogether.’

‘Really?’ I said, hopeful that Patrick had made headway where I couldn’t.

‘Yes. I know I have a problem.’ No shit! ‘Also, I want you to be my bridesmaid.’

‘What?’ I said, incredulous. I rose to my feet, ready to let her have it. The image of me as a child, in a pale blue dress holding a posy, from when her and my dad renewed their vows clear in my mind. Before I had the chance to unleash the anger I had been withholding, there was a knock at the door. I didn’t move, glaring at my mother who was oblivious.

‘Are you going to get that?’ she asked, filling her glass yet again.

I stormed out of the kitchen and into the hallway. A thought made me stop dead in my tracks. What if it was Ian? What if he’d turned up again uninvited? I dashed back to the kitchen and kneeled, so I was the same height as Mum.

‘Mum, listen. This is really important. I think the man I like, you know the one I was telling you about is outside the front door. I’ll explain later, but when I met him I was wearing coloured contacts. He thinks my eyes are blue. You mustn’t say anything about my eyes.’

Mum was looking at me, confused. ‘You kids these days.’

‘Mum, it’s important, okay. I’ll be your bridesmaid. Just don’t tell him I’m wearing contacts, understand?’

‘Okay, okay.’

Another knock came from the door as I quickly put in the contacts, hiding the case in the bathroom cabinet.