Shaun comes over to his wife and puts an arm around her. She murmurs something to him, but I can’t make out what it is. They follow Matt out into the hall and Shaun goes into the lounge to get Amy and Kieran. There are howls of disappointment and all four kids come into the hall wearing indignant expressions.

‘Mum, please can we stay!’ Amy wheedles.

Kate is gingerly putting on her coat and opening the front door.

‘No arguing,’ Shaun says to his daughter.

Amy nods and bites her lip. There’s no way Jess would have backed down so quickly. Both Amy and Kieran look downcast, while my two are utterly incandescent at the unfairness of it. But they’re too unsure of Shaun and Kate to voice their disapproval, especially as Kate looks so stern – her eyes hard, her lips a hard line. No, my two will wait until the Morrises have left to show their disappointment.

It takes a few moments for Amy and Kieran to gather up their belongings, and then, less than one hour after they arrived, the Morrises are leaving.

‘Sorry about this,’ Shaun says as he follows his family out of the door.

‘Hope Kate feels better soon,’ Matt says.

I don’t say anything. I just watch them go and flinch as the door bangs shut behind them.

‘Right, kids,’ Matt claps his hands, ‘time for bed.’

‘What?!’ Jess puts her hands on her hips. ‘First we were supposed to have a fun sleepover and now we have to go to bed early?’

‘It’s not early, its…’ Matt checks his watch. ‘Oh. Okay, it’s only eight thirty. Well, you can chill out upstairs for a bit.’

‘With my phone?’

‘Yes, okay, just for a little bit.’

Jess doesn’t need any further prompting. She takes the stairs two at a time.

‘Why did they have to go?’ Charlie frowns. ‘We were watching the film and we hadn’t even built our Lego castle yet.’

‘Sorry, mate. Kieran’s mum didn’t feel well. Why don’t you go and build the castle yourself, and I’ll come and take a look at it when you’re finished?’

‘Okay,’ he grumbles and slopes off upstairs.

I feel bad for them. ‘Do you think she really was ill?’ I ask Matt.

He turns to look at me. ‘What do you mean? Why would you think she wasn’t?’

‘Well, it came on a bit suddenly, didn’t it?’

‘Food poisoning can hit quickly.’

‘You think it was food poisoning?’

‘Whatever. Food poisoning, stomach bug. Don’t worry, it wasn’t your cooking. We all ate it, remember? And I feel fine.’

‘I … I think it was an excuse so she could leave.’

‘Don’t be daft. Why would she do that?’

‘Because I was asking questions about Bella.’

‘Who?’

‘You know – their eldest daughter, Bella.’