‘Callie!’ Mimi said. She could see the hurt on Tara’s face. It was amazing the way sisters could always hit each other right where it hurt most. Mimi knew Tara hated being called a baby, especially now when she’d been feeling so mature helping out with the twins. She also knew there was some truth to what Callie had said, and true jibes hurt the most. Somehow Tara always seemed to let chocolate melt all over her hands while she was eating it, ending up with it smeared on her chin and cheeks like a two-year-old with an ice-cream cone. Mimi kind of loved that about her — a girl who was so entranced by chocolate that everything else fell away. She could relate.

In the end, the only comeback Tara could muster was, ‘You’re horrible, I hate you,’ before turning and running back across to the shop — once again not checking for cars.

‘Callie, did you have to do that?’

Callie lifted her chin. ‘What?’ she said. ‘I was only saying the truth.’

Mimi watched Tony emerge from the shop as Tara was about to walk in. The two of them stood speaking for a minute.

‘Mum . . .’ said Callie.

‘What is it?’ Mimi snapped.

‘Never mind,’ Callie whispered.

Mimi sighed. She could almost cry. She hadn’t meant to let the note of impatience creep into her voice but she was disappointed that Callie had upset Tara, and she was desperate to get moving so the twins would settle down. ‘Callie, I didn’t mean —’ she began.

But then Tony and Tara appeared next to them. ‘I am going with Uncle Tony,’ Tara sang happily.

Callie slammed the car door shut. ‘I’m going with Uncle Tony too,’ she said.

Tony gave her a nod and a smile. ‘That’s the way,’ he said.

‘Oh? Are you sure? But you were going to drive! Get in your night freeway practice. And I was thinking that if Tara was with Tony, maybe on the way up we could talk?’

‘What would we even talk about?’ Callie said, and then she headed behind their car to Tony’s Lexus. Meanwhile James had burst into tears after the loud bang of the car door. Thanks for that, Callie.

Jill and Pete came out of the shop next and walked over to them. Mimi glanced from Jill to Tony, who was leaning against his car. Were they avoiding eye contact? She wanted to ask what their chat had been about, but it was going to have to wait.

‘We really need to go,’ Mimi said. ‘The twins are losing it.’

‘I’m good to go,’ said Pete. ‘Petrol’s all paid for.’

‘All right,’ said Jill. ‘Stick together everyone.’ She headed off to her own car, and Mimi turned back to her family, who were all hovering between their car and Tony’s.

‘Right,’ Mimi said. ‘Time to go. Last double-check. Who’s going in which car?’