‘What are you doing?’ she said in a tight voice.

‘I …’ I said. ‘I came to see if you were all right.’ Partially true.

Her face softened. ‘Oh. Well, I’m fine. Thank you.’

I climbed down the stairs and turned to her. ‘I noticed you hadn’t been doing any housework,’ my mouth said, while my brain informed me I was stupid. ‘I thought maybe you’d hurt yourself and was going to offer to help.’ Thanks, brain.

‘Oh.’ She was taken aback by that. She clasped her hands and glanced, I noticed, in the direction of Derry’s room. ‘That’s very kind. I’ve just … felt a little down lately.’ Her eyes fell on my forearms. ‘You’ll know what that feels like.’

‘Yes, I do,’ I said, overly sympathetic.

‘I meant to ask,’ she said then. ‘Coco’s birthday party. What did you have in mind?’

I stared blankly. What did I have in mind? I had all but forgotten that she was turning a year old in a matter of days, and completely overlooked the fact that this may require a birthday celebration of some sort. It had been some time since I celebrated my own birthday, and the last birthday party I could remember attending was Meg’s. There was a large bonfire, a Druid pop band, and we all had to come dressed as pagan gods. I didn’t think this kind of thing would sit all that well with Maren.

She was still staring expectantly. ‘Well …’ I said, straining to think what a child’s birthday party might involve. I’d never exactly had one of my own, at least not one that didn’t involve adults getting drunk on cheap cider, fighting in the street, and getting lifted by the police. I couldn’t quite imagine Tom going for that sort of party. ‘We could … get some … balloons?’ I said. This prompted a nod. Good. ‘And … a cake?’

‘Very good,’ Maren said. ‘Shall we go tomorrow?’

Another gormless stare. ‘Go? Go where?’

She looked puzzled. ‘To Ålesund. Coco’s birthday is on Friday.’

‘Ah, yes,’ I said. ‘Yes, let’s … go to Ålesund.’

It was the first time I’d taken the girls out for the day, and to be honest I was quite excited. I was clueless about what we should pack, so I brought everything – bottles, milk, sandwiches, three changes of clothing for both girls, nappies, two different pushchairs and a spare bag filled with toys – and we all piled into Maren’s Volvo.