With everyone telling her they were full to the brim, Jessica started to clear the table. She had chosen an Italian menu for the dinner party and the food had gone down a treat.

Eddie poured his friends another drink. He was a bit unsure about Polly, Raymond’s bird. The girl was pleasant enough, but spoke with a plum in her chops.

‘No more for me, thanks, Eddie. Three is my limit,’ Polly told him firmly.

With everybody sorted, Eddie took a glass of wine out to Jessica in the kitchen. ‘She’s a funny one, Raymondo’s bird, ain’t she?’

Jessica smiled. ‘I wouldn’t put her with our Raymond in a million years, but as long as she makes him happy, that’s all that matters.’

‘Do you reckon he’s fucking her? I can’t imagine her in the sack, can you? Oh, Raymond, please hurry up and shoot your load, the butler will be here soon,’ Eddie said, mimicking Polly’s posh tones.

‘Sssh, they might hear you,’ Jessica scolded him.

Eddie could be such a piss-taker at times and she didn’t want him upsetting the wonderful evening they were having. Eddie tilted her chin and kissed her. ‘I think we should up our baby-making sessions from this week onwards – what do you say?’

Jessica sighed. Tonight, she was more worried about the two she’d given birth to than about creating another. ‘I don’t like Frankie and Joey being allowed to stay out round their friends’ houses. It worries me sick. I mean, we don’t even really know the parents.’

Frankie and Joey had gone to a sixteenth birthday party. The party was miles away, in Fulham, and Jessica had been dead against them going from the start.

‘But Mum, Dionne, was my best friend throughout most of my school years. It’s not her fault that her parents have moved to Fulham. I’m not going on my own, am I? I’ve got Joey to take care of me. Her mum said we can stay in the guest room and she’s going to call you to confirm,’ Frankie whinged.

Jessica discussed it with Eddie and, in the end, they had decided to let the twins go. She hadn’t been able to get hold of Dionne’s mum, but had spoken to her older sister, who had confirmed the arrangements.

‘Shall I give them a call? Make sure they got there all right,’ Jessica asked Eddie.

She had insisted that they take their father’s mobile phone so she could contact them to put her mind at rest.

Eddie shook his head. ‘They’re nearly sixteen, Jess. We need to learn to trust them, not check up on them all the time. They’re good kids: they’ll be fine, trust me.’