She’d also started ironing her curls dead-straight every single morning. Mimi had always taken such pleasure in the way her daughters had embraced the curls they’d inherited from her. She knew it was naïve to presume Callie wouldn’t change her look as she grew, but flattening those perfect ringlets was akin to blasphemy in Mimi’s mind.

‘Are you okay? How was your day?’

‘Fine. What’s for dinner?’ she repeated.

‘Pizza.’

‘Ugh. Can’t you guys cook for once?’

Mimi saw Pete’s nostrils flare and she gave him an almost imperceptible shake of her head. Yes, Callie was being rude, but she was trying to pick her battles with their teenage daughter at the moment. If they reprimanded her, it would only lead to another fight.

Pete rolled his eyes but when he spoke, his tone was light. ‘You’re sixteen,’ he said. ‘You could cook. Besides, I made bolognese yesterday.’

‘From a jar.’

‘And?’

‘Peyton’s parents make their own sauce from their own tomatoes from their backyard.’

‘Peyton’s parents don’t let Peyton have her own phone. Do you really want us to be more like them?’

‘That’s completely beside the point. Is it really that bad that I want to eat healthy?’ She swung around and stomped back up the stairs.

Mimi’s mind immediately started doing exactly what it had been doing on and off for the last few months: cycling through all the potential reasons for Callie’s new attitude. The twins. Trouble at school. Bullies. Friends. Social media. A boy. She has a crush on someone. Someone has a crush on her. Was she suddenly worried about weight? Potential eating disorder. That was a new one to add to the list.

Her concerns must have been manifesting themselves on her face because Pete was pulling the bottle of wine straight back out of the fridge.

‘I rule an exception on stopping at one bottle, due to having a teenager in the house,’ he said. ‘Let’s have the pizza delivered.’

‘Thank God.’

*

Darren

He realised his mistake the moment he stepped into the crowded bar, scanned the room and spotted Charlotte. There was an arm slung around her shoulder. The arm was attached to Steph. Steph, with her short sharp platinum-blonde hair, her sharp features and sharp angles. Her bright red lipstick. A complete juxtaposition to Charlotte’s softness, her long dark waves, soft olive skin and natural makeup-free features. Her lipstick-less lips that he used to be allowed to kiss.