‘We’ve got four – Benji is eleven, Indie is ten, Eloise is eight and Freddy is five.’

Sophie’s eyes widened in amazement. ‘Four kids? Wow!’

Angie was used to that reaction. ‘I’ve always wanted a big family and so has Jack. He’s one of five and I’m an only child so we both had our own reasons.’

‘Do you work as well?’ Sophie asked, spying her laptop, notebook and two mobile phones at the end of the table.

‘Yes, I’m a solicitor.’

‘Blimey, are you Superwoman too?’

Jack, who had just entered the room, laughed as he overheard Sophie’s remark. He put his hand on Angie’s shoulder and she smiled up at him. ‘She claims not to be but we’re pretty sure she is,’ he said. ‘We haven’t discovered where she hides the outfit yet, but the kids are onto her.’

‘Where are they now?’ Sophie asked.

‘With Jack’s parents,’ Angie explained. ‘We thought it would be easier to have them out of the way while we moved and did the bulk of the unpacking. They’re arriving later this morning.’

‘You must pop over to ours this afternoon. Tom and Katie will be so excited to meet them.’

‘How old are Tom and Katie?’

‘Tom’s seven and Katie’s five. She’s just finishing up her first year at school, actually. So where did you move from? Will the children be moving schools?’

Angie sipped her coffee and nodded. ‘We lived in Greenwich. But we decided to move north to be nearer my mum. She’s not in great health and it used to take me the best part of an hour and a half every time I wanted to pop in to see her. This way I’m just down the road. So yes, the children are moving school much to their disapproval.’

As Sophie chattered away about what the local schools were like, Angie glanced at her watch. Her new neighbour seemed perfectly pleasant but she was absolutely itching to carry on with unpacking before the children arrived. Sophie must have sensed her impatience because she quickly drained her coffee and stood up.

Angie felt bad. ‘Please don’t feel you have to rush,’ she said.

‘It’s fine,’ Sophie reassured her. ‘You’ve got loads to do and I’m sure you just want to get cracking. I’d be the same in your shoes. Anyway, the kids have got homework to do. We’ll leave you to it, but do pop round when you get the chance so we can meet the children.’

Angie smiled with relief as Sophie called out to Tom and Katie, who reluctantly relinquished the toys, and all three headed towards the front door.

‘Lovely to meet you,’ she said, waving them off. She closed the door behind them and walked back into the kitchen, her mind already full of the many tasks that lay ahead. Jack, who had been out in the garden, stuck his head inside the back door. ‘They seemed nice,’ he said.

‘Yes,’ Angie replied dismissively. She reached for her phone to check her emails and then turned her attention to unpacking the tableware. There were four large boxes on the kitchen floor waiting to be sorted through. She started digging out plates and glasses, shoving them straight into the dishwasher and then paused as she unearthed a large crystal salad bowl from its layers of kitchen roll. Christ, she hadn’t seen this bowl in years. It had been a wedding present from a distant relative – she couldn’t even remember who now – and had been in the back of a kitchen cupboard gathering dust ever since. Looking at it now, she remembered her wedding day, nearly fourteen years ago. How much has changed since then, she thought. How much we’ve changed.