“Thanks.” Natalie returned to the kitchen where Olive was about to say grace and replaced the handset in its cradle.

Olive murmured grace as soon as Natalie sat. “No point in our food going cold,” she added as an addendum to the amen. Then she poked at the meal in front of her with her fork. “I don’t know why we can’t have proper rice.”

Natalie stiffened and from the corner of her eye she saw Milt pause with his fork halfway to his mouth. He wouldn’t even know it was cauli instead of rice if Olive hadn’t mentioned it.

“Cauliflower’s better for you, Granny,” Laura said.

No-one else spoke. Milt put a forkful of food into his mouth, a slightly puzzled look on his face. Natalie tucked into hers and the rest followed.

The girls were full of chat. They’d finished the curry and Kate was helping Natalie serve the cheesecake when Olive asked why Jack had come for dinner.

“Dad asked him,” Laura said.

Natalie turned in time to see a glance pass between Milt and Olive. It was only the briefest of glimpses but Natalie was sure her mother-in-law’s look had been questioning and Milt’s chastened. Surely Olive didn’t know. All these years Milt’s indiscretion had been a secret kept between him, Natalie and, to her eternal mortification, her father-in-law, Clem. Did Olive know about her son’s cheating too? And if she knew about that, did she know the truth about Jack? Nausea squirmed in Natalie’s stomach.

“Dad didn’t want Jack to be on his own,” Bree said. “He’d just got the news his mum has cancer.”

“Oh, well…” Olive looked down at the serve of cheesecake Natalie had placed firmly on the table in front of her. “That’s sad news.” Her tone implied Veronica had died. There was silence around the table as Natalie and Kate delivered the rest of the bowls.

Damn Veronica, Natalie thought, she’s casting her shadow over my family again. Natalie had worked so hard to eradicate her, thought she’d succeeded.

“Hey,” Laura said brightly. “I’ve brought the Mamma Mia! sequel DVD. Why don’t we watch that tonight after dinner?”

Bree groaned.

“I’d love to see it,” Olive said.

“I’d rather have a tattoo,” Bree moaned.

“Don’t be silly, Bree.” Olive gave her granddaughter a disapproving look. “It’s lovely when we’re all together and a cheerful movie would be just the thing.” She shifted her gaze to Laura. “I assume it is cheerful?”

“Of course it is.” Laura beamed. “It’s so long since we had a family movie night.”

“I’ll pass,” Milt said.

“Oh come on, Dad.” Kate gave him a gentle poke. “You know how much you love a good love story.”

Milt snorted and Olive gave a soft clap of her hands.