‘Got shot of the raffle tickets?’

‘Yeah, all of them.’ He looked more animated. ‘I made over four hundred pounds.’

‘Well done, Zachy!’ I was impressed, though perhaps less so when I considered his market. ‘What have you done with it?’

‘Given it to Mr— to Marcus.’ He looked almost abashed for a second. ‘He said to call him that.’

‘That’s nice.’ Too nice. I imagined the warm sensation of Marcus’s hand on my shoulder again.

‘And he introduced me to his mate Squiggy.’

‘Squiggy? That’s a weird name.’

‘It’s calm.’ Zach was enthused. ‘He looks after Dua Lipa and that rapper Frazzle – and he used to look after Arctic Monkeys, back in the day.’

‘Frazzle?’ God, I felt eighty-seven, not forty-seven. ‘Aren’t they bacon crisps?’

‘Mum!’ Zach rolled his eyes at me, but there was a light in them I recognised. ‘I can go and work there in the holidays, once I’m sixteen. You get your lunch and everything, Squiggy said, and there’s, like, free Coke and smoothies in all the fridges.’

‘That sounds amazing, Zachy!’ I was swept up in his excitement for a moment. ‘I’m really pleased for you.’

‘Yeah, all right.’ His need to be cool got the better of him again and he shrugged. ‘So, can I go now?’

‘Where?’

‘Home.’

‘Ruthie!’ The redheaded Rebekah barrelled into the hallway, brandishing a huge goblet of white wine in her Hobbit hands. ‘How lovely! Didn’t we have a scream that night in the woods?’

Is she actually joking?

‘Oh, hi.’ Watching wine slop down the side of her glass, I took a deep breath. ‘I’m glad you’re here – I wanted a quick word.’

‘Mu-umm!’ Zach elbowed me warningly.

‘Hey, hon!’ Melissa appeared behind the other woman. ‘Here you are.’

Thank God, I wanted to yell, feeling actual tears spring to my eyes for some daft reason.

‘Sorry I didn’t get to do your hair,’ she said, ‘but I’m loving this look!’

‘Thanks.’ I felt the warmth of her solidarity, though I knew my hair probably just looked daft. ‘I was just saying to Rebekah—’

‘Yes, what were you saying?’ Rebekah twinkled annoyingly.

‘Hey, Zach.’ Willow appeared now in the doorway, wearing her third outfit of the day: tiny purple bodycon dress and white Nike Air Force, topped with a little shaggy white jacket. ‘Wanna go to the funfair?’

‘Funfair?’ Zach looked confused.

‘The mini wheel.’ Rebekah waved her glass around. ‘Bill paid for it, the love!’

‘Hey, over here!’ Melissa stopped a passing wine bottle.

‘You would.’ I nudged my son forward gently. ‘Wouldn’t you, Zachy?’

‘Is Ceci here?’ He hung back. ‘I lost her, doing the raffle tickets.’

‘Haven’t seen her.’ Willow looked concerned. ‘Is she OK?’

‘The one who was sick camping?’ Rebekah made her eyes deliberately big. ‘She’s got anxiety, Nella said.’

I felt a vivid flash of annoyance. ‘Got anxiety?’ It sounded like something you pick up at the shops. ‘No, I don’t think so.’

‘Are you talking about Cecilia?’ Melissa’s eyes narrowed.