I nod distractedly. ‘Penny, please,’ I say. ‘I know I should have told you. I’ve really screwed up, and I’m sorry. But can you just tell me why you’re so against the idea? It would celebrate you and your success! You deserve that, don’t you? And everyone thinks it’ll be amazing.’

‘Yes, but who’d want to come?’ she barks, her voice rising now. Izzy has appeared in the doorway and is staring, wide-eyed, at us all. ‘In the end it was a failure,’ Penny adds, ‘so why have an event to supposedly celebrate something that went tits up?’

Izzy gasps audibly. ‘Iz, please go through to the living room,’ I say quickly.

‘But, Mum—’

‘Please, love. Just for a few minutes.’ Reluctantly, she slinks away.

Penny glowers at me. ‘Why would you want to put on an event that no one will care about, or come to see, and it’ll be humiliating all over again?’

‘It won’t be humiliating,’ I say firmly. ‘Why d’you say that?’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ she snaps, and I notice that Chrissie’s eyes are brimming with tears.

‘Ludo didn’t mean any harm,’ she says. ‘He just said, “Penny, Viv’s doing a show all about you!” Because he’d heard me and Tim talking about it. It hadn’t occurred to me that he’d say anything …’ She tails off, crying properly now. ‘I feel so responsible, Viv …’

‘Chrissie, it’s okay,’ I murmur, putting my arms around her as the tears start to roll down her cheeks.

‘It’s not. I’ve ruined everything.’

‘No, you haven’t,’ I say firmly. ‘You haven’t at all. You’re not responsible for this. Ludo isn’t either.’

‘He’s so upset,’ she adds. ‘You know how fond of you he is, how he loves coming here, and now he’s all worried that he’s done the wrong thing, and you won’t let him come over again. He loved staying with you that week when Lara was born, and the camp-out in your living room – my God, he’s still talking about that now, about the marshmallows and sausages and being allowed to stay up all night. It’s so much more fun at your place, that’s what he says—’

‘Chrissie, please,’ I cut in. ‘I’m not mad at him. He’s welcome here anytime. If I’m mad at anyone it’s myself, for pushing on with this without telling Penny.’ I turn to her. ‘I’m so sorry, Pen. I got carried away – obsessed, I suppose. The whole project’s been all-consuming and maybe I lost perspective along the way. But, look, when it comes down to it, it’s only fashion, it’s just clothes, and what I really care about is that you’re okay, and you too, Chrissie – and Ludo.’