‘You wouldn’t be leaving her,’ I chastise her gently. ‘She’d be with her dad, and the show’s almost a month away. Please come, Chrissie. I’d really like you to be there.’

She shakes her head, and I recognise it now: that befuddled look, when day and night blur into one; I guess she’s edging ahead on the sleep-deprivation stakes. ‘I tell you what,’ I add, as she’s leaving, ‘never mind the show. I mean, I’d love you to come but I think, actually, a night out would be even better. Why don’t we go out?’

‘Me and you?’ She seems to brighten at the possibility, then her face falls again. ‘But I’m not drinking. Well, only the occasional small glass of wine.’ She pats Lara’s head gently. ‘Feeding this little one.’

‘Of course, yes, but we could still have a lovely evening. I mean,’ I add, smiling, ‘the drink part doesn’t matter. I don’t have to get trolleyed whenever I go out.’

Chrissie looks aghast. ‘Oh, I wasn’t suggesting—’

‘No, I know you weren’t. So, how about tonight?’

‘Tonight?’ she gasps. ‘That’s too soon.’

‘Come on, be spontaneous—’

‘I haven’t been spontaneous since 1996!’ My God, Chrissie can actually laugh at herself. ‘Sorry to be a wet blanket,’ she adds. ‘It’s just … it’d need some planning. I’d have to rev myself up for it, make arrangements, dig out something decent to wear …’

‘I’m not asking you to be my plus one at a wedding,’ I tease her. ‘I’m only talking a bite to eat at the Pig and Pint.’

She laughs again, and I realise I can’t remember the last time I saw her all giggly like this. ‘Well, that sounds—’

‘Look, there’s Tim,’ I say quickly, spotting him unloading shopping from the boot of their car, with Ludo loitering at his side. I stride towards them, and a few quick words are exchanged, with Chrissie still dredging up numerous reasons why she cannot possibly leave the house after dark, without an infant strapped to her person.

‘No, Chrissie,’ Tim says firmly, glancing at me, ‘that’s it settled. I’m looking after Ludo, Lara and Izzy tonight. And you’re going out with Viv.’

‘But how will you manage all three of them?’ She turns to me. ‘Isn’t Izzy with Andy right now? Could she stay with him overnight?’

The cheesy flat shimmers into my mind. ‘Not really. In fact, she’s due back any minute …’

‘Of course I can manage,’ Tim says, blowing out air as he smirks at me. ‘Izzy can stay over so you don’t need to worry about rushing back for her.’

‘But Tim—’ Chrissie breaks off as Ludo announces that Izzy must come over – ‘No one ever comes to play with me!’ – and together, we carry the shopping bags into their house.