So, I think it’s a safe bet it won’t go ahead, despite a couple of properties – one being my next-door neighbour on the right, Maggie – already selling to the developer. Apparently, they need to take part of the long back gardens of the houses along my side of the road, but as they have progressed from offering to buy a part of the land, and it’s now the entire property they want, I’m guessing their longer-term plan is to demolish the houses too. I don’t understand why people would sell to them. It’s so selfish. I will most definitely not be considering any offer from those developers. I might well be desperate to move, but I have morals.

I glance at Move Horizon’s For Sale sign, which is standing just inside the dwarf garden wall, and make a mental note to contact Carl later for an update; he’s gone rather quiet. I don’t like quiet. To me, it means he’s not working hard enough on my behalf, which is the opposite of the promises he made in his bigged-up speech when he was trying to get me to sign up with him. Typical estate-agent speak; I shouldn’t have bought into it, but I got swept along as I need to sell this house quickly and his, according to Barb, is one of the most successful estate agencies locally.

‘Is Nanna coming to live with us when we go to Kent?’ Leo asks as we hurry along the pavement towards Stockwood Primary School, Finley hanging behind as usual so none of his friends see him walking with me and his little brother – being eight seems to be an awkward “in-between” stage for him.

‘No, sweetie. What makes you ask that?’

‘It’s what Nanna said.’ He sniffs, wipes his nose with his coat sleeve, then starts kicking a stone along in front of him. I hesitate before answering. Surely Barb wouldn’t have put this idea into his head.

‘Maybe you heard her wrong?’ I offer, ignoring the prickling sensation at the base of my neck and the urge to fire twenty questions at him in the middle of the street. I smile so he doesn’t think I’m accusing him of lying. Lately, if I query anything he says, he gives me a pouty stare, crosses his arms and says I never believe him. I don’t remember Finley being like this at six, but then he wasn’t as sensitive to things as Leo is. I take a deep breath, waiting for his response.

‘Nope. I didn’t.’ He stops walking and lifts his head to mine, daring me to challenge him.

‘Oh, okay. Well, Nanna was telling me how she will miss you boys very much. I don’t think she would’ve said that if she’s thinking of coming with us. Do you?’