‘Don’t worry about it, I’m just being silly.’

‘You know, I do remember him now. He used to wet his pants all the time. Fresh Pants Freddy, that’s what we used to call him!’

Katie groaned. ‘Thanks for that, Tom, I’ll be sure to remind him.’

‘Fresh Pants Freddy!’ Tom was chuckling away to himself. Katie threw a cushion at him and went to make herself a cup of tea. He was still laughing when she came back.

‘So, Mr Smarty Pants, how’s university going?’

Eight pairs of eyes looked at Freddy expectantly from around the kitchen table. Indie watched her brother closely as he thought carefully about how to respond to Benji’s question.

‘Yeah, really good thanks,’ he said. ‘The course is really interesting; the digs are pretty tidy and I’ve met a good bunch of people. I’m in the university football team.’

‘Good for you,’ Jack said, ‘I’m so proud of you.’ He lifted his glass of champagne up towards Freddy and everyone followed suit.

‘There’s something else actually. Something I wanted to talk to you about.’

‘Oh yes?’ Jack was already distracted, tucking into the curry they’d ordered because Angie had said she couldn’t be bothered to cook for so many people.

‘I’ve actually met someone.’

‘Ooooooh, Freddo’s got a girlfriend,’ Ellie said teasingly and Indie saw Freddy reddening.

‘Good for you, lad. What’s this mystery girl called?’

Freddy hesitated and looked at Indie. She gave him a reassuring nod.

‘Her name’s Katie. Katie Brennan.’

Jack continued chewing away contentedly, oblivious to the relevance of the name, but when Indie looked at her mother, she had completely frozen, fork still halfway to her mouth. She looked at Freddy, pale-faced.

‘Katie Brennan?’ she asked.

‘Yes.’

‘As in, the Katie Brennan? The one we used to know?’

‘Yes.’

‘Who’s Katie Brennan?’ Jack asked, sensing the change in mood. No one spoke for a moment.

‘Dad, the Brennans.’ Indie finally broke the silence. ‘The family who used to live next door. Freddy is going out with the daughter.’

‘Christ!’ Jack said, as the penny dropped. Indie kept her eyes firmly fixed on Freddy. He had a determined look on his face but she imagined that he wanted to shrink down into his chair and disappear. She took his hand and squeezed it, and he smiled gratefully at her.

‘I don’t understand,’ Angie was saying. ‘How did this even happen?’

‘It was a total coincidence,’ Freddy explained. ‘She’s studying at Oxford too. I saw her in a café and recognised her. We swapped numbers and started meeting up. It just happened. There’s something there, Mum, something special. We’ve been together for a few months now.’

‘What’s going on?’ What’s-her-face demanded. ‘I don’t understand.’

Everyone ignored her.

‘Jesus, Freddo, you don’t half pick them,’ Benji commented. To his right, his new girlfriend was checking her phone, looking bored. She had turned out not to be the famous actress Bianca Friedman, thank God. That probably would have tipped this situation over the edge. Indie glanced at her mum, who still hadn’t moved, and then at her dad, who was managing to look both perplexed and outraged.