‘Usual Monday morning madness.’ Liz raises a perfectly plucked eyebrow.

‘Same here.’ I smile.

Jamie and Alice head into the playground with their friends and we watch until they’re all safely inside the building.

‘We’ve gotta run,’ Liz says with a wave, ‘work calls.’

‘But let’s catch up with a cuppa soon,’ Ellen adds.

‘Definitely. And hopefully Georgina can make it next time.’ As my friends stride away down the pavement with Boots tugging on his lead, I half scan the streets around for any sign of Madeline, but I must have missed her. I was going to play it casual and ask about her weekend away. Act like I wasn’t hurt at her treatment of me. But if she’s not here, I can’t do any of that. I’m destined to spend another day wondering and brooding.

Wearily, I turn away from the gates and head back to the car, more slowly this time. Monday’s my day off, so I don’t have to rush to the salon. Up ahead, a familiar looking vehicle comes down the road – a dark-green delivery van. Madeline’s dark-green delivery van. As she approaches, I catch her eye, smile and wave. She purses her lips, gives a small nod and keeps going. Okay, so I didn’t imagine that. She snubbed me, which means she definitely has some kind of issue. I clench my fists and stride back to the car.

This is ridiculous. I’m not going to spend the whole day stewing about my stroppy sister-in-law. I’m going to drive round to her house right now and ask her what’s going on. If I’m supposed to have done something wrong, the least she can do is allow me to defend myself. I get into my car and do a clumsy five-point turn, earning dirty looks from a couple of impatient drivers. Eventually, the car’s facing the right way and I head towards my sister-in-law’s house, trying in vain to compose myself. But my right hand is shaking and the rest of me is all tensed up.

It takes longer than usual to reach their house, which is on the other side of town. The traffic always seems worse on a Monday morning. Nick and Madeline’s home is a large, square, detached Georgian property. I guess you’d describe it as imposing. Toby mentions it a lot when he’s trying to persuade me that we should move. I agree that it’s a gorgeous house, but I still prefer our cosy cottage. I pull up on the road outside, take a breath and exit the car.