Unlike the Noble Goat, not only was there a real stage at the Taliesin Arts Centre, it was in a proper auditorium with dozens of rows of seating, high ceilings and massive curtains disappearing up into the roof. When the tinny electronic bell signaled ten minutes to liftoff, Leonard said he would accompany Norman backstage to go over some last-minute practice, and I certainly wasn’t going to argue, because judging by Norman’s porridge-colored face as they disappeared behind the performers’ door, he was going to need all the help he could get.

Tony and Kathy had managed to snaffle us four seats in the very front row, and in the awkward shuffley dance of “You first, No, after you, But I insist, Oh well, then, okay...” somehow it ended with me sitting down smack bang between the two lovebirds. When Leonard returned to join us I saw a barely there twitch of his eyebrows at the final arrangement, but he said nothing and sidled in beside Tony at the end of the row.

The house lights went down and the woman from the registration desk waddled onto the stage to introduce “the fifth annual and no doubt best yet Swansea’s Got Talent.” The crowd didn’t quite go wild, but the level of applause was enough to buy my heart a one-way ticket to my boots. There were just so many people.

Kathy leaned closer into me and gave my arm a squeeze. Before I could get over the shock of the contact, I felt her breath on my neck and she bent in to speak over the noise of the clapping.

“Sadie, I hope you didn’t mind us butting in and coming along like this. It’s just that...well, even though it was a bit of a surprise, Tony seemed so happy that you got in touch and... Well, after you called he told me how much he’d... When you... Well, anyhow, I just think he really wanted me to like you, too. So I thought I’d try, and then, when I met you, well, I didn’t have to try very hard at all. I just think it’s amazing what you’re doing to make Norman’s dream come true. He’s such a lovely boy.”

Her hand still rested on my arm and all I could do was stare at her chipped navy-blue nail polish and think, hang on, did she just say I was amazing? And then another voice piped up, trying to drown out the sound of my own questions. Tell them.

I imagined myself rising out of my body and hovering over Kathy and Tony like the Cheshire cat. Clearing a small hairball out of my throat to purr, “I’m so glad you think I’m amazing and that my son is so lovely, because, guess what?” And I imagined Tony’s far-browner-than-I’d-remembered eyes twinkling in delight, and him saying, “I knew it! I knew we made magic that night.” I could almost see lovely, serene earth mother Kathy clasping her hands together, cheeks bright, eyes shiny, saying, “I’m so happy for Norman and Tony that they finally found each other. But I promise I’ll never try to replace you, Sadie. Don’t worry, nobody could ever be as good a mother as you.” I was enjoying my reverie so much it was a bit disconcerting when I had to come back to reality as the show began.