‘I’m lucky,’ he told her, ‘I get to stay in a job I love without worrying about earning more money or climbing the career ladder. And I’ve had the opportunity to work reduced hours so that I can be around more for my family. How many men get to say that?’

‘That’s true,’ she agreed.

‘I’m lucky,’ he said again, and she wondered whether it was for her sake or his. It wasn’t that he resented having more parental responsibility because she could tell that he loved it, but she sensed that Angie’s career had always been more successful and that as much as he tried not to let it bother him, it affected his self-worth.

It wasn’t just Sophie who was enjoying Jack either. The other mums had got used to seeing him at the gates now and he always seemed to gather a flock of women around him whenever he was waiting to pick up Ellie and Freddy after school. On their walk back home together he would regale her with stories he’d heard in the playground.

‘Apparently Frankie’s mum has hired an amazing private tutor but won’t give anyone else his number because she wants to keep him all to herself,’ he told her gleefully.

‘You’re more of a gossip than me,’ she said, one eyebrow raised.

‘I love a bit of school gate drama,’ he confessed. ‘It’s more exciting than EastEnders.’

Sophie wondered whether Jack would ever want to go back to his old working pattern and how much Angie must be earning that they could afford it. She suspected it was well into six figures and tried not to wince when she looked at her own accounts spreadsheet and saw that she’d made £2,610 in the last financial year.

But despite her growing friendship with Jack, it was still Angie who she looked forward to seeing at the weekend. Seven months after the storm, she had finally come round to tell her that they had chosen a contractor who was repairing the fence the following week.

‘Tom and Katie will be gutted,’ Sophie said ruefully.

‘Ellie and Freddy too. But it can’t stay like that forever.’ Angie paused. ‘Perhaps we could consider getting a gate put in? No pressure at all, I don’t want to invade your privacy.’

Sophie loved it. ‘It’s a brilliant idea!’ she declared. ‘Let’s do it!’

When she excitedly told Alan about their newly hatched plan, he rolled his eyes but said nothing. A week later the gate was installed, much to the children’s delight. They used the gate most days now. And it wasn’t just for their benefit either – a couple of Saturdays before Christmas, Angie had snuck round after the children had gone to bed, appearing at the back door with a mischievous look on her face. Sophie had suspected she was up to no good.

‘What is it?’ she asked, opening the door for Angie, who grinned and fished around in her pocket, pulling out a spliff.