‘Mummy, we made you signs,’ sings Barnaby, holding up a crumpled piece of paper and prompting Chloe to do the same with hers. They hold them up proudly, just inches from Vicky’s face. She has to back away to take them in.

‘Oh wow! Look at them!’ Vicky replies. ‘What have you drawn?’

‘They took a lot of time over them. They were very particular about what they wanted to draw for you,’ says Nick, getting back up to his feet and hugging Zaza before collecting Vicky’s bags.

‘So lovely you’re all here,’ says Zaza warmly.

‘This is you on the top of a mountain,’ says Barnaby, clearly eager to please his mum with his creation. ‘There’s a tent at the top – that’s the pointy bit – and you and Uncle Mike and Aunty Zaza are walking up to it. There’s one of those animals you said about. Just there,’ he says, squinting at his own work.

‘A llama?’ prompts Vicky.

‘Yes! That’s it. Llama,’ he repeats excitedly, his eyes glancing over to his dad who winks at him to carry on. ‘You have sunglasses because you are high and closer to the sun … And Uncle Mike has turned red because he forgot suncream.’

We laugh in response, and he smiles up at me before snuggling back into his mum’s body, pleased with the reaction.

‘I love it.’ Vicky kisses him on the cheek, making him squirm even though he’s obviously enjoying having his mum back. She turns her attention to Chloe. ‘And what about your drawing, sweetheart? Can you tell me about it?’

‘This is you,’ she says, her sudden coyness making her put her fingers into her mouth, so her words are only just audible. ‘You have a big smile. See? And your eyes are shiny because you’re happy now.’

‘Oh darling,’ Vicky says, the words tight in her throat. She squeezes her daughter close. ‘I’m definitely happy now I’m back with you.’

‘Mummy, say hello to my butterfly,’ Chloe says proudly, completely oblivious to her mum’s emotions as she sticks her leg in the air so Vicky can see the bandage on her knee.

‘Oooh,’ Vicky replies, taking hold of the flailing leg to stop her falling over. ‘What a brave butterfly.’

‘Liam!’ Zaza gasps, looking through the arrivals crowd. I follow her gaze and see him stood several feet away, a bunch of flowers in his hands. He takes us all in and then hesitantly steps forward.

‘Hello, beautiful,’ he says, his smile wide as he arrives in front of Zaza.

‘I thought I was meeting you at the wedding! In Liverpool!’ says Zaza, her hand on her chest in shock.

‘No way I wasn’t coming to get you,’ Liam replies, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her in for a kiss. ‘You OK?’

‘I really am,’ she says, leaning into him.

I can’t help but smile for them all.