I paused and took a moment to breathe in so the rehearsed words would flow freely. ‘She and my dad are probably over it by now. They’re likely glad to have avoided the expense of a wedding.’ I laughed with too much enthusiasm and looked up at Annie’s expressionless face. ‘Plus they live in Australia.’

Annie turned her body to face mine. ‘They went without you?’ She screwed her face up in disgust

I cleared my throat and nodded. The faces of my parents flashed before my eyes then disintegrated as quickly. I knew I didn’t need or want to think about them, but I always did.

She turned away from me, her attention on the tea tray again ‘Well, Ben is one of one. My only child. So being involved was important to me. Being told your son has got married three weeks after it happened is not what any mother wants to hear.’ Annie poured another cup of tea and held it out towards Ben. ‘Son, your tea,’ she said flatly.

Ben leant forward and took the tea and placed it in front of him on the table. He ran his large soft hands through his thick dark hair. ‘Look Mum, we’ve been through this already. If you want to blame anyone, blame me. I’m sorry. We’re sorry. It was a mad…’ Ben paused. ‘A mad spur of the moment thing.’ The last few words fell out of his mouth. He looked at me firmly and spoke with intent. ‘But we love each other and that’s that.’

I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face and the tension was already leaving my body.

Words of apology were just forming in my mouth when Annie said: ‘What’s done is done. I can’t do anything about it now, can I, son? I need to get the chicken in the oven.’ Ben raised his eyebrows at me and I stifled a laugh. It was brought on by a bout of nervousness – the nervousness that was now leaving my body as Annie stood and walked out of the room. The atmosphere physically lifted.

I looked at Ben, blew out the breath I had been holding and raised my eyebrows in relief.

At the kitchen table, Annie pushed the food around her plate and took tiny bites.

‘This is delicious, Annie. The chicken is so moist.’ I prodded a slab of meat and watched the juice ooze out ‘How do you cook it?’

‘I do it in a brick. Always have done since Ben was a little boy.’ Annie placed her knife and fork together on the plate indicating she had finished, yet her plate still remained full of chicken breast and vegetables.

Then Annie was on her feet. I noted how sixty years had treated her well, she had a very youthful face with very few wrinkles, and that hair cut made her appear at least five years younger. It was only because she displayed some stiffness when she walked that you might think this woman was nearing retirement age.