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Jenny emptied a packet of chilli-flavoured crisps into a bowl and put a plate with cheese and crackers on the kitchen counter beside it. Then she poured them all a large glass of red wine.

‘Dinner!’

‘You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble,’ Lucy said, with a grin.

Sarah laughed. ‘You must be worn out from cooking.’

‘You know I don’t cook and this is as good at it gets, so tuck in.’Jenny popped a crisp into her mouth.

‘How is this place always so clean?’ Sarah wondered. ‘You put my housekeeping to shame.’

‘Eh, because she has no kids messing it up and Jenny has OCD,’ Lucy said.

‘I don’t have OCD. I just like things to be tidy.’ Jenny handed them plates and napkins.

Sarah cut a chunk of Brie to put on her cracker. ‘Yum.’

‘So, what’s happened while I’ve been away?’ Jennyasked them.

‘How was Milan?’ Sarah asked.

‘Fabulous,’ Jenny said. ‘I was wined and dined in the best restaurants by my very appreciative client and did loads of shopping. I’ll show you the shoes I got later. They are to die for.’

Sarah groaned. ‘I wish I hadn’t asked. I can only dream of a break like that.’

‘So any gossip?’ Jenny said.

Sarah shook her head. ‘Same old, same old at my house.’

Lucy sipped her wine. ‘I broke up with Damien.’

‘Really?’ Sarah said. This was news to her.

‘What? Why?’ Jenny asked. ‘I didn’t see that coming.’

‘Neither did he,’ Lucy said drily. ‘But I need to focus on the twins. I took my eye off Dylan and he got into trouble. He really came very close to getting dropped from the team. And also I think Kelly might be lying again about seeing that boy Sean.Anyway, I just realized that I’ve been too distracted and that I need to concentrate on them more.’

‘I think you’re mad,’ Sarah said, reaching for more Brie. ‘You didn’t even see Damien that much. It was nice for you to have him there to go out for dinner with, and the rest.’

‘Jesus, if you’d broken up with him because you’d met someone hotter, I’d be thrilled, but breaking up with him for thekids? It’s mad, Lucy.’ Jenny shook her head. ‘For goodness’ sake, you’re already a total helicopter parent. The kids need to breathe. So what if Dylan had a few late nights? At his age, all boys do it. And as for Kelly lying about seeing Sean, I lied about every boyfriend I ever had. They’re not doing drugs or robbing shops, they’re just normal teenagers. Seriously, if anything, you need to givethem more space, not less.’

Lucy gritted her teeth to prevent herself saying something she’d regret. What the hell did Jenny know? It was so easy for her to say Lucy was a helicopter parent. She didn’t understand that Lucy had to be, that she had no choice. There was no dad to help out with discipline, so it was all down to her. It was all on her head. And, yes, she had been strict, but hadn’tit proved the right decision, given all they’d achieved and what lovely kids they were?

‘I haven’t come this far to let them fall at the last hurdle, Jenny,’ she said tightly. ‘They’ve only got two more years ofschool and I want to make sure they get through them with flying colours, that’s all.’

Jenny reached over for the bottle. ‘You know what? Let’s not talk about it tonight. You need anhour off being a parent, and we are here to do that for you, aren’t we, Sarah?’ She refilled their glasses. ‘Get that down you and forget your woes.’

Lucy smiled. ‘Sounds good to me. I’m happy to get away from being a mum for an hour.’

‘So what about Christmas presents?’ Jenny said. ‘Anything the twins really want?’

‘Ollie wants an archery set,’ Sarah said. ‘If you ever call round to find meface down on the path with an arrow through the back of my head, you’ll know what’s happened.’

Lucy and Jenny burst out laughing.

‘Can you not fob him off with a bike, or a watch or something?’ Jenny asked. ‘He shouldn’t own anything that can be weaponized.’