‘Hey!’ Marcus. ‘Just come to say, your son is amazing.’

I felt immediately bashful. ‘Oh.’

‘And I’ve gotta dash.’

Did my face fall from the broad smile that had been spreading? Melissa hadn’t returned yet, and I’d hoped he’d help put the bunting up.

‘Collecting the in-laws from the station, you know how it is.’ He was my co-conspirator.

‘Sure.’ Time was ticking on, but I couldn’t be annoyed. ‘No worries.’

‘Don’t be sad.’

‘I’m fine,’ I said quickly. Milky sunlight trickled through the tent fabric as I looked up at him, into those bright eyes.

‘You are an absolute diamond, you know, Ruby.’

His fingers spread over my shoulder, the heat of his hand spread through my body, and I found I was holding my breath.

‘And my mate from EMI will be here later, all ready to meet Zach. We’d be lost without you, dear one.’

‘It’s fine.’ I smiled shakily – but my words were lost in the bustle of a group of Northgate sixth formers bundling into the tent.

‘Where’s Laz?’ Marcus frowned, taking his hand off my shoulder.

‘Laz?’ I felt the empty plunge of disappointment in my belly.

‘Pat and Paul’s eldest – from the vicarage. He’s in charge of the bar, isn’t he? Promised to be here by 1.30.’

‘Missed his bus,’ a gap-toothed boy – leader of this pack of large, exuberant puppies – said. ‘Says he’ll be here soon.’

Around two, hot and sweaty, rushing home to change, I was surprised to hear noise in the flat as I unlocked the door.

My search for the source revealed Zach, engrossed in a FIFA match on his PlayStation, feet up on the sofa, my laptop precariously balanced beside them, anime on pause.

‘I thought you were hanging out with Ceci?’

‘She went to get changed. Oh – you bastard!’ He thumped the chair.

‘Zach!’ I picked up the laptop before it fell. ‘Have you had a shower?’

‘No, cos I don’t have any clean T-shirts, but s’fine.’ He didn’t take his eyes off the monitor. ‘I’ll just chill here. Oh my God, Messi, no way! What are you like?’

‘Chill here? No way, matey.’ I moved to wrest the controller off him. ‘You’re coming with me – and we’re running out of time.’

‘Mum!’ He scowled. ‘I’m in the middle of a game—’

‘It’ll be fun. There’s loads of activities for kids.’

I knew it was the wrong word as soon as it was out.

‘I’m not five, you know.’ He held on to the controller until I literally had to drag it off him. ‘Get off, Mum! It’s dead.’

‘Zach! I meant young people. Come on.’

‘It’s a dead party for babies,’ he moaned, but I thought he seemed scared.

‘It’s not, it’ll be like a mini festival, and you need to be there. You and Ceci are in charge of raffle tickets, in case you forgot.’ Feeling frayed now, I struggled to keep my temper. ‘It’s a really important job.’