“I’m sorry I was a little short with you this afternoon,” says Tanya cheerfully. “We were rather struggling with the helium balloons. We’d already lost one bunch this afternoon.” She darts a baleful glance at Eddie.
“Have you ever tried to get helium balloons into a car boot?” Eddie retorts hotly. “I’d like to see you do it! I haven’t got three bloody hands, you know.”
An image comes to me of Eddie battling with a load of shiny balloons, trying to stuff them into the Porsche, and I bite my lip hard.
“We didn’t put your age on the balloons, Olivia,” Tanya adds in a breathy whisper. “As one woman to another, I thought you’d appreciate that gesture.”
I look from her vivid, over-made-up face to Eddie’s fleshy pink one and suddenly feel so moved I don’t know what to say. All the time, they
