‘Yes,’ I smile into the phone, taking a sip of my wine. It’s usually around this time, if not a little later, that Nick walks through the door from work. Ever since the kids entered our lives this has always been the first question he asks. The fact I’m usually downstairs in a tidy house and drinking something alcoholic should tell him all he needs to know, but I think he hangs on to the hope that one of them will be up and he can creep in to see them.

‘Long day?’ he asks.

‘Hmmm … I think I’ve had better and worse,’ I realize, heading to the comfort of the front room. ‘You?’

‘Not sure what to say without you hating me …’ he replies, hesitantly.

‘Are you at the pool?’ I ask, rearranging the pillows before falling on to the sofa – which is quite an ugly-looking thing but is surprisingly great to snuggle on. It’s also quite magical as it manages to hide a number of stains and spillages the kids have covered it in over the years. I pull over the throw that I draped over the back and wrap it around me, feeling the cold now I’ve stopped. ‘It’s flipping hot there too, isn’t it!’

‘Possibly,’ he laughs. ‘I spent the morning up in my room before the meeting but have been here since getting back. The sun has been shining so …’

‘You thought you’d make the most of it,’ I sigh, full of envy. I know he should be making the most of being somewhere sunny, it’s just I would really love to be in that sunshine with a pina colada right now. ‘Ooh! How’d it go? Tell me, tell me! So sorry, I was distracted with the kids earlier!’

‘Good. Back in tomorrow to meet the client.’ I can imagine the grin on his face as he says it.

‘That’s amazing!’ I squeak. The excitement of him being in Lala Land schmoozing with bigwigs is not lost on me, despite me having a wobble about him going and still being super jealous of the sunshine, his freedom, and being able to get on with his life without having to worry about school runs and bedtimes. ‘Well done.’

‘Thanks, baby. Also means I can’t stay out here in the sun too long, though,’ he says with a dramatic sigh. ‘I definitely don’t want to get sunburnt and end up going in there looking like a total Brit with a bright red nose and forehead.’

‘What a shame,’ I laugh, thankful that bedtime went well, otherwise I’d be snappy as hell right now at the thought of how chilled he’s able to be while I’ve been so stressed here.

‘Have you sorted the sitter for next week?’ Nick asks, cutting in on my thoughts.