Naomi and I had met when we were both training to be florists. We hit it off straight away, my quiet, insular nature drawn to Naomi’s lively, more outgoing one. She helped draw me out of my shell, and we were inseparable until I married Rav. Naomi was the one I went to when Rav and I had our first date, and then our first fight, the one I went to when I took Rav home to meet my mother for the first time, and things didn’t go the way I thought they would. Naomi is the first person – after Rav – I told when I found out I was expecting Mina, and she was the first person I rang when my water broke. She is the one who has mopped up my tears, made me laugh until I cried, listened without judgement to all of my secrets. She is, quite simply, my best friend. I thought us moving to Pluckley, after making the decision that we didn’t want to bring Mina up in the city, might mean that our friendship would stutter a little – she had finally settled down with Jason and they were trying for a baby – the distance between us, although not great in miles, meaning that we wouldn’t get to spend half the time together that we used to. But not long after Mina was born, when I had gone back to work as the manager of The Daisy Chain, Naomi had arrived in Pluckley, without Jason, and before I knew it, she had a job working under me.

‘… so, do you think that would be OK?’ I realize Naomi has been talking to me and I have no idea what she was saying, so intent was I on thinking about the past.

‘Oh, yes. I’m sure.’ I smile, hoping I haven’t accidentally given her terrible advice. ‘Listen, I’ve got a few bits to do today … I told Rav I’d sort out those boxes in the attic, and I only have a few hours before I have to pick Mina up again. Pop over tomorrow instead?’

‘I’ll bring cake.’ Naomi grins and I let her kiss me on the cheek, inhaling her sweet, floral perfume and watching her walk away for a moment before wheeling the pram up the path and bumping it over the threshold into the hallway.