Nick was just lifting Freddie up as they placed the final few onto the tree. ‘There’ve been so many more requests than I expected,’ he said sadly.

‘I know, but, as my mum says, just remember what a difference you’re making.’

‘Us? This was your idea.’

‘Yeah, but you’re helping to turn it from an idea into reality.’

‘I suppose we are, aren’t we?’

She nodded and almost melted as his face filled with pride.

‘I’m hungry, Daddy. Are we nearly finished?’

‘We are,’ Bella said as she hung the last tag on the tree. ‘I’m hungry too.’

‘Would you …’ Nick scratched the back of his head. ‘Would you like to come round for dinner? We were going to have a go at making pizzas, weren’t we, Freddie?’

Bella checked Freddie’s face to make sure he was in favour of the idea. Not only was he smiling, he was bouncing on his toes too. ‘You should definitely come, Bella. We’ve got loads to go on top like sausage and stringy cheese. Not the stuff you used to put in my sandwiches—’

‘He means mozzarella – wait, what?’

Bella’s skin grew clammy. She hadn’t ever really intended for Nick to find out about that and opened her mouth, searching for the words, but Freddie spoke first.

‘When Mum first left, Bella used to bring me in a sandwich because you sometimes forgot to make me one.’

Nick stared at her, but he seemed more concerned or embarrassed than upset. ‘Did you?’

‘I just wanted to help out,’ she said with a shake of her head. She hoped he wasn’t cross or insulted and hiding it. ‘I didn’t mean to offend.’

‘I’m – I’m not offended. I … Thanks.’ She swallowed, grateful that he wasn’t going to report her to Mrs White, which is what Mr Cole would have done. ‘That was nice of you. Good job I switched to school dinners though. This one’s always hungry. He’d have been eating your lunch too.’

When Nick looked at her, something fizzed in the air between them, and she dropped her eyes to see Freddie staring up at her. ‘I call it stringy cheese too,’ Bella said to Freddie with a wink.

‘And we’ve got tomato sauce too. It’s from a jar but it’s the really nice stuff they sell at the deli. And Dad bought salad, which is gross, but he said I have to eat some if we’re having pizza.’

The idea of spending time with Nick and Freddie made her heart spin. ‘If you’re sure you’ve got enough, I’d love to. That’d be great.’

Nick lowered Freddie to the floor. ‘Do you want to go and play on the climbing frame before it gets dark?’