We were human fire balls

Giggling, my daughter, Eva, then five, looked like a princess in her purple top and tutu, gliding around my friend’s lawn with her two friends. ‘Look at them,’ I smiled to my friend as we sat around her patio table sipping our drinks. They’d invited me, Eva and my older daughter, Madison, 13, over for a garden party and, after entertaining the kids for most of the day, we’d finally sat down.

‘They’ve had the best time,’ my friend smiled back as I tucked into pizza. I was feeling relaxed and looking forward to my husband, Darren, then 47, turning up after playing hockey nearby.

‘He should be here soon,’ I said, seeing it was 7pm