Kerry nodded and looked thoughtful, as if mulling something over. ‘So how come you’re both in Bristol now?’ she asked after a moment. ‘Is that deliberate?’

I shook my head. ‘It’s great that it’s worked out that way, but it wasn’t planned. He just happened to get his professorship a couple of years after I started my first job here.’

‘And what do you do?’

I smiled at her interest, wondering whether I might at any point get a chance to find out something about her. ‘I’m an architect.’

Her face lit up, before immediately falling again as she looked at something over my shoulder.

‘Dear God,’ she murmured, closing her eyes and rubbing her forehead.

I turned in my chair to discover that we had been joined by Harry and Ollie; Harry now wearing a Lego Movie T-shirt, green football shorts, matching football socks and a single orange shin pad. Ollie, meanwhile, was sporting a button-through Star Wars pyjama top and grey jogging bottoms, the latter accessorised with a white towelling belt which had been wrapped around his waist several times and secured with a large drooping bow.

‘OK,’ said Kerry quietly, her eyes still closed, ‘so we’re nearly there with the clothes. We just need a couple of quick swaps.’ She opened her eyes and arranged her features into a patient smile. ‘Get Ollie a T-shirt, Harry. There’s a blue one on your beanbag. And I’ll—’

‘Ollie wants to wear the Star Wars top,’ said Harry, wiping his nose on the back of his hand and then wiping the back of his hand on his shorts. ‘Don’t you, Ollie?’ He turned to Ollie, who nodded vigorously.

‘But that’s a pyjama top,’ said Kerry.

Both boys looked at her in a what’s-your-point kind of way.

‘It’s best to wear outdoor clothes to go outdoors,’ persisted Kerry, her voice calm and quiet, as if negotiating a hostage situation. ‘We can find Ollie a fun outdoor top. It doesn’t have to be the plain blue one.’

Ollie turned to Harry. ‘Will it have Star Wars on it?’ he whispered.

‘I don’t have a Star Wars T-shirt, Ollie,’ said Harry apologetically. ‘Only pyjamas.’

‘Oh.’ Ollie’s lower lip protruded and his head drooped.

Kerry sighed audibly. ‘You know what, as it’s the weekend, I think it’d be OK to wear indoor clothes outdoors today. I’m just having a cup of tea with Edie and then we’re off. So go and have a pee and find your shoes. And if you want to wear a belt, Ollie, I’ll find you one because that’s actually my—’

‘Ollie wants to wear the white one,’ said Harry. ‘Don’t you, Ollie?’ Cue more nodding from Ollie. ‘It goes around and around like a Jedi’s and also he is practising his bows,’ added Harry, indicating Ollie’s waistline.