‘Well, you’d have thought they’d have at least decorated the place since the nineteen eighties!’ said a well-known voice and Catrin turned around to see her in-laws strolling in, Edward carrying a large plastic crate and Amelia unimpressed as ever. Though by now, after experiencing years of social awkwardness, Catrin knew only too well that this was just her mother-in-law’s way of dealing with her own shyness.

‘Nana! Bampeeeee!’ Romy screeched and hurtled towards her grandparents like a deranged bowling ball.

‘How is my favourite granddaughter now!’ laughed Amelia, opening her arms wide for the biggest of hugs. Catrin loved how much her in-laws loved her girl. Sol’s brother Tom had three boys who were equally as loved, but Cat glowed with pride that Romy was their only granddaughter.

After they’d said their hellos, they unpacked the Jamaican ginger and caramel cake made by Edward. Since his retirement he had taken up baking, and never let a celebration opportunity pass without making a cake. ‘Let’s hope none of your friends decide to smash this one to pieces!’ he laughed and Amelia tutted, having never quite forgiven Judith and Lana for the horrendous incident thirty years previously.

Changing the subject, she offered to help hang the giant photograph of Sol and Cat. ‘My God, you look so young!’ she said.

‘That’s what I said, Nana. That’s the day they first met!’ shouted Romy, only this time with pride.

They hung the picture on two big hooks behind the top table, with a banner beneath it that read, Catrin and Solomon – 30 Happy Years. And for the most part that had been true, Cat thought as she watched Sol chatting easily with his dad, and Romy helping Amelia put out the place names according to the table plan. Thirty mostly happy years … what an achievement.

In a few hours, eighty guests, many journeying from across the country, would be there to help them celebrate. Well over half of them had been there on the day itself, in 1987. Some were no longer with them, of course, like their grandparents and Sol’s Uncle Ken – he’d no doubt mention them in the section of his speech entitled Absent Friends. She smiled when she thought about Sol’s speech – considering he was used to public speaking, especially in his recent work training GPs, he’d been uncharacteristically nervous about the pressure on him to say a few words. She’d heard him mumbling away in his study for the past few evenings, though she’d never made out any actual words.

‘We’d better go home and change, babe,’ said Sol now, snuggling into her neck.

‘Leave the woman alone!’ laughed Edward. ‘You’d swear you’d just got wed!’

Three hours later, they were suited, booted, frocked, primped and frilled, sipping drinks and mingling with the guests. Choruses of ‘Well helloooooo!’ and ‘You haven’t aged one bit!’ filled the room as old friends and relatives were reunited, some after a thirty-year interlude. A four-piece jazz band played eighties hits on a makeshift stage, as waiting staff weaved their way in and out with trays of champagne and exquisite canapés. Everyone was buzzing and the atmosphere was big-hearted and nostalgic.