‘I know. Sometimes things don’t work out the way we want. Maybe it’s for the best.’ I hate it when people say that, but I can’t think of anything better right now.

Jess puts her hot chocolate down on the side table. ‘Why is it for the best? It’s not the best.’

I put my arm around Jess and pull her in close. She’s warm and dry and smells of shampoo and shower gel.

‘Mum… you didn’t answer my question.’

‘Sorry, Jess. I don’t know, maybe she wouldn’t have ended up being a good friend, so it’s better you found out now.’

‘Doesn’t Amy like you any more?’ Charlie asks.

‘It’s none of your business!’ Jess glares at him.

‘Hey, hey, calm down. He’s only asking.’ Jess’s body is tense and bristling. I give her another gentle hug, but she shifts away from me with a scowl, planting herself at the far edge of the sofa, her chin in her hand.

The lounge door opens, and Matt pops his head round. Good. Now he’s home, hopefully he can distract Jess from her disintegrating mood.

‘Daddy!’ Charlie zooms across the room and Matt scoops him up, blowing a raspberry on his cheek. ‘Urgh, Dad!’

Matt grins and sets him back down. ‘What’s going on in here? Are you all having a hot-chocolate pyjama party without me?’

‘Want me to make you one?’ I ask.

‘Uh, yeah!’

‘You have to get in your pjs first,’ Charlie cries.

I can tell that Jess is torn between joining in with the fun and holding onto her bad mood. Thankfully, the former wins and we spend the next hour having a relatively stress-free time.

Once the kids are in bed, Matt and I sit in the lounge, our dinners on our laps, watching Grand Designs on catch-up. A couple in Scotland are building a six-bedroom contemporary house by a lake. It’s huge – more like a visitor centre than a home.

‘Jess seemed a bit happier this evening,’ Matt says, muting the volume as the credits roll.

‘She’s okay. Still a little down, but she’ll be fine. How was work?’

‘Fine. This week’s going really quickly. Can’t believe it’s Wednesday already.’

‘Oh, that reminds me – I’ve volunteered us both for the Christmas Fayre at school next week. Hope that’s okay?’ I get to my feet and collect up our empty dinner plates and glasses.

‘Should be. What time and what day?’

‘A week today, four till seven. We only need to help out for an hour or two.’

‘Okay. I should be able to get there by five.’

‘Brilliant. Heidi will be chuffed.’ As I leave the sitting room with the dirty dishes, I think about how everything I do now is overlaid with thoughts of Bella. She has a bearing on every action and every conversation.