‘She’ll go even more bonkers when I tell her I’m going to teach underprivileged children halfway round the world.’

‘Lyssa, why? Why? Why? Why?’ My sister mimics our parent’s haughtiest tones. ‘What have the underprivileged ever done to deserve this?’

I giggle my agreement. Charity begins and stays very much at home with our mother.

‘Mind you,’ Edie says, reverting to her own voice, ‘I’m at a bit of a loss to understand it myself.’

‘You would if you saw the place,’ I assure her.

‘And the people,’ she adds with a wink. I think we both know which particular one of the people she’s referring to. ‘I hope he’s damn well worth it.’

I smile contentedly. ‘I think so.’

‘What am I going to do without you?’

‘Kelly’s old enough to babysit now.’

My sister punches my gearstick arm. ‘That’s not all I need you for.’

‘Of course it is,’ I protest. ‘You’ve got Lee for everything else.’

‘But you’ve always been around, Lyssa,’ my sister huffs. ‘Besides, look what happened last time Kelly babysat for us.’ She examines her belly.

We pull up outside Mum’s house and I notice the net curtain twitch—too late to make a getaway now. Our mum lives in a nice part of town in a small, semi-detached house that she keeps as neat as a pin. This is not because she enjoys housework but because you can never be sure who might drop in unannounced. It was never a very homey home, as we weren’t allowed to do anything that would make it untidy. My mother is still resolutely attached to 1970s décor. She is the only person I know who thinks swirly brown and orange carpet is ‘all the rage’. I believe this is where I get my love of all things fussy. The net curtain falls back into place.

‘I saw Pip the other day,’ I tell Edie before we get out of the car. ‘I forgot to mention that you blame him for your latest happy event.’

My sister stares out of the window. ‘How is he?’ Edie says.

‘Fine. In love,’ I say. She spins her head towards me so fast that I think her neck’s going to break.

‘In love?’ she queries. ‘He told you that?’

‘Yes.’ I frown at her. ‘Unrequited, I’m afraid. He’s fallen for the same woman as his best friend. I don’t think she knows how he feels.’

‘Oh, you are a plum!’ Edie snorts.

‘What?’

‘It’s you. Pip’s in love with you.’

‘Is he?’ I’m more than a little surprised. ‘He never said.’

‘It sounds like he dropped enough hints!’

‘Oh shit,’ I say. ‘I laughed at him.’

‘Nice one, sis.’

‘He could have been a bit more obvious.’

‘Could he? Apart from ripping all your clothes off and jumping on top of you, I’m not sure how.’