‘Yes, yes, I do remember him and her.’

Mario sat up straight again. ‘Well, Julie has two kids: a boy and a girl.’

‘Like us.’ Bess was a little bewildered by this turn in the conversation, especially given his demeanour – it didn’t match this sudden desire for small talk.

‘Yes, just like us. Anyway, her daughter—’

The sound of the doorbell stopped him mid-sentence.

‘I’ll go, you can tell me later,’ she said softly over her shoulder, as she rose from the sofa with Chutney following behind, barking just in case. It was actually a relief to be out of his line of sight. His stare was making her feel uncomfortable.

‘Quiet, Chuts!’ she shouted. She saw Jake’s outline behind the glazed panel of the front door, Daniel standing to the left of his husband, holding a large blue balloon with a blue ribbon tied to it. ‘Oh, it’s Jake and Dan!’ she yelled back to the lounge. The sight of them lifted her mood and the atmosphere and she was grateful for both.

‘Oh, what a lovely surprise!’ She greeted them both warmly. If proof were needed that she was part of a wonderful loving family who cared about her, there they were – and they had brought her a balloon! ‘I wasn’t sure you’d be able to make it! I am so pleased to see you both!’ She accepted a kiss on the cheek from Daniel and smiled at him.

‘I told him we’d make it, but he was fussing,’ her son-in-law said, raising his eyebrows at her.

‘Anyway, when you two have finished trashing me . . .’ Jake laughed, rubbing his palms. ‘Where’s Dad?’

‘In the lounge,’ she said, pointing.

‘Come on!’ He grabbed her hand and pulled her along the hallway, drawing her into this exuberant balloon-trailing moment.

‘Hey! Hello, son!’ Mario smiled and stood with his arms open wide. Jake did as he always had and took his place inside them, where his dad wrapped him in the tightest hug. Daniel hung back, allowing for the interaction and holding his balloon in his right hand like a kid at the zoo. ‘Come on, Dan,’ Mario called over Jake’s head, ‘there’s plenty of room!’

Daniel went to stand next to his husband, and Bess watched the two men, arms across each other’s backs, a safe unit held tightly now by Mario, while the balloon, for her birthday no doubt, floated abandoned towards the ceiling. While delighted to see their closeness, Bess felt a little excluded and grabbed the ribbon.

‘I can’t remember the last time I had a balloon!’ she laughed.

‘Ah, actually,’ Jake said, almost snatching it from her, ‘I need you both to sit on the sofa.’