Cian and Aaron are standing at the crèche door, hats, jackets and bags in hand when I arrive. I’m late, only by a few minutes but the look on Laura, their playschool teacher’s face, does little to hide her annoyance. After apologizing one, two, three, maybe four times, I strap the boys into their car seats and drive out of the car park. A couple of minutes down the main road, I arrive at the Tesco car park. This is my life now. A series of chores made easier by strategically located car parks.

Today I’m wearing lipstick. Something I don’t often do on my day off but Donna encouraged me. Do whatever it takes, hun, to make yourself feel better. Don’t be sitting around looking like your life depends on what your man does. Because let me tell you, it doesn’t. It depends on what you do, babe. Donna’s all cheap lingo and expensive advice. But I like her.

Leaving the vegetable section behind I push the trolley down the first aisle, Aaron twisting from left to right in the seat in front of me. Cian shuffles by my side. Then I see her. At least I think it’s her. Her blonde hair tied back, that cheeky face, confident strut and the jacket that looks the same as the one she had on in the salon. White. It had an embroidered tiger on the back. It has to be her.

Grabbing Cian with both hands I lift him in the air and drop him into the trolley to stand. Aaron turns his head in amusement but Cian is not happy about it.

‘Let me out,’ he says, looking down at the fruit and veg gathered around his feet.

‘It’s just for one minute.’ I push the trolley to the end of the aisle where I initially saw her passing by.

‘No, I want to get out now.’ He’s threatening to cry. I ignore him, continuing to push the trolley as fast as I can without knocking into someone.

At the end of the aisle I look left, then right and down the next aisle. Where’s she gone.

‘Let me out.’ Cian continues to object much to Aaron’s amusement. The speedy rush past the other customers is more to Aaron’s taste. Where is she?