Pippa sat down. “My favorite show on television is Just Add Magic, but we don’t watch much television because Skylar says screen time is very bad for your eyes and also your soul.”

“Who’s Skylar?”

“She’s the nanny,” said Pippa just at the same moment as Sofia said, “She’s someone who helps us out.”

“Where is she?” said Carmen.

“Oh, she’s a student so she’s at a class now. You’ll meet her . . . Phoebe!”

There was the noise of stomping on the stairs and everyone looked up.

Another version of Sofia appeared, but this one was not glossy; instead, she had messy, tangled hair. She was plump, her face looked sticky, and her lower lip stuck out so she appeared to be pouting.

“Were you asleep, darling?” asked Sofia.

“No,” said Phoebe in a grumpy voice.

“This is your aunt Carmen.”

Phoebe regarded Carmen with an unimpressed gaze.

“I know she doesn’t send birthday presents,” said Pippa, “but you have to be nice to her. Kindness wins!”

Carmen winced. Phoebe was still staring at her. It was not a cheery look.

“Did you bring us anything?” said Phoebe finally.

It hadn’t occurred to Carmen. She mentally riffled through the contents of her bag and remembered a packet of Kettle Chips she’d been planning on sharing with Sofia over a bottle of wine that, of course, Sofia couldn’t drink. Oh Lord.

“Phoebe,” said Pippa. “That’s rude. That’s rude, isn’t it, Mummy?”

Sofia waved her hand in a faintly disparaging manner.

“It is rude, though.”

“Shut up!” said Phoebe.

Carmen felt the uncomfortable sensation of both sympathizing with and faintly disliking quite a small child.

“Um,” she said, and opened her big bag, which, filled with clothes just thrown in when she’d woken up late for her train, practically exploded all over the kitchen, by far the messiest thing in the house.

“Wow,” said Pippa.

Carmen retrieved the Kettle Chips with effort.

“Here you are,” she said, hurling them in the children’s general direction. “Share those?”

As if summoned by a whistle only he could hear, Jack came hurtling back into the kitchen at full steam. “Crisps!”

Phoebe was already tearing open the packet. “Go away—they’re for me!”

“No, they’re to share,” said Pippa, trying to look above it but desperately putting out her hands to scoop up the largest crisps.

“But I asked first!”

“Ugh, these are plain,” Jack announced, sputtering crumbs everywhere.

Sofia sat bolt upright, eyes wide. “But it’s nearly suppertime!” she said. “You can’t have crisps, guys!”

They stared at her over the opened packet, mouths full of crumbs.

“But our aunt is here.”

“What even is supper?” said Carmen. “Do you mean ‘tea’?”

Sofia frowned as the door opened and in entered one of the shiniest people Carmen had ever seen.