‘Angie! I didn’t know you were into wacky-baccy!’

‘I don’t think they call it that anymore, darling,’ Angie replied. ‘Anyway, it’s not mine, well not really anyway. Someone gave it to me and I thought it would be a shame to waste it.’

Sophie was dubious. ‘I haven’t smoked since I was a teenager.’

‘Come on, just this once, it’ll be fun.’

‘It’s bloody freezing outside, Ange.’

‘Oh, come on! Live a little!’

Sophie looked at Angie’s face, daring her to be a bit naughty, and she sighed and grabbed her coat. Outside they huddled together, taking it in turns to share the spliff.

‘Didn’t Jack fancy it?’ Sophie asked, taking a puff and trying not to cough.

‘Oh God no, Jack doesn’t touch anything he can’t drink.’

‘Did you dabble when you were younger?’

Angie looked thoughtful. ‘Not as a teenager, or at university actually. To be honest, I was a bit of a square. But just before I met Jack, I went out with someone for a few months who liked a smoke after work so I tried it a few times then. I didn’t like it much – or him.’

‘Why not?’

‘Well, the guy was boring. And the weed made me feel out of control, which I hated, but I’m in the mood to give it another go this evening, seeing as I’m in much better company.’

The high from the drugs hit Sophie and she had to sit down on one of the freezing cold patio chairs. Angie perched delicately on the chair next to her.

‘So where did it come from anyway?’

‘A rather high-profile client who was being prosecuted for an excessive speeding offence found it in his pocket before his hearing and gave it to me to get rid of for him. I completely forgot and it was only when I was looking for something earlier that I discovered it.’

‘Ooooh, who’s the client?’

‘I can’t tell you that.’

‘Oh go on! Go on, go on, go on!’

‘No!’ Angie said, laughing.

‘Is he an actor?’

‘No.’

‘Musician?’

‘No!’

‘Footballer?’

‘Stop it, Sophie!’

‘He is!’ Sophie said triumphantly. ‘He’s a footballer.’

‘I’m not telling you anything.’

‘Fine,’ Sophie said, starting to feel giggly. ‘You’re a bit of a rebel though, Angie Taylor.’

‘Not normally,’ she replied. ‘Maybe I’m having a midlife crisis.’

‘You’re not going to buy a Porsche, are you?’

‘Can you imagine,’ Angie said, her voice rising a few notches, ‘trying to cram four children into a Porsche?’

‘Benji and Indie would have to sit on the roof,’ Sophie said, feeling the hysteria rising inside her at the image.

‘Freddy could go in the boot!’ Angie said and they dissolved into uncontrollable giggles. Soon they were both bent double, tears rolling down their faces.

‘Bloody hell, the state of you,’ Alan said, standing over them with an amused look on his face. They’d been laughing so hard that they hadn’t even heard him coming outside.

‘Al, come and join us!’ Sophie said, recovering for a brief moment before she started laughing again.