‘I’m not, no.’ Although I had been ready and waiting for the question. Fred was amazing; there was no other or better way of explaining her. But I wasn’t leaving one long and winding relationship to tumble into another. ‘I think, after being with Rowan for so long, it might be nice just to be me for a while. You know?’ I looked at Dad who obviously didn’t know at all. But when I looked at Mum, I saw it.

‘I do.’ She turned to get a look at Dad. ‘Why don’t you make yourself useful and put the kettle on?’

‘That, I can do.’ He stood and took my cup, then Mum’s, and shuffled out of sight.

‘One thing, sweetheart, so we know where we are. Did he finish things, or did you … I mean, was it an agreement you came to?’

I hated her assumption that Rowan must have been the one to call the whole thing off. But that was a battle for another time. ‘I finished things. It was all too easy for him, Mum, to start seeing other women, and that’s actually okay.’ I heard Dad make a disapproving noise behind me. ‘It really is okay. But he should have time to do that properly, shouldn’t he? It’s clear that some of this comes from his parents and, I don’t know, stuff they have and haven’t done for each other over the years. But maybe if Rowan finds himself now, he won’t turn into his dad later.’

‘Not all men turn into their fathers, you know?’ Dad set a mug on the table in front of me.

‘I do know that, Dad, that’s why … I think he really needs this time. He needs to work out a way to avoid turning into his parents. And I’d quite like to find someone who, one day, will help me turn into mine.’ I leaned over and gave Mum’s hand another squeeze. She dabbed around the underneath of her left eye and I wondered whether tears were afoot.

‘Well.’ Dad sipped his tea. ‘It sounds like you’ve thought this through, Edi. Bottom line.’ He paused and sipped again. ‘I – we – will only ever want you to be happy. I’ll put that out there, in case we haven’t been clear on it all your life. You’re your own person, always have been. You know how to use that head of yours.’ I worried that tears were on the way for him, too, then.

‘Plus, this is all better to decide now than when you’re married.’

Dad snorted and winked at me. ‘Or during the ceremony, eh?’

‘I now pronounce you …’ Mum used a pompous, stuffy voice. ‘Husband and—’

‘Wait.’ Dad used a deliberately girlish tone. ‘Can I have a minute, just a quick sec?’