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"You know, darling! Internet shopping I’ on a Ken Hom wok, a pair of candlesticks"--she pulls a flowery notepad out of her pocket and consults it--"oh yes, and a hedge trimmer for Dad Used only once!"

"eBay is marvelous!" chimes in Janice "Such fun Have you used it, Becky?"

"Well… no"

"Oh, you’d love it," says Muht to check on ue "I don’t knoas wrong"

"The doeably "I’ve been having trouble with etshe’s up to level six on Toot a coy"

"Not anyone broadband!" She looks at ive you a word of advice, Becky If you’re going broadband, I’d install a decent firewall"

OK This is all wrong Parents are not supposed to know more about computers than their children I nod carelessly and take a sip of coffee, trying to hide the fact that I don’t have a clue what a firewall is

"Jane, it’s ten to twelve," Janice says cautiously to Muo on"

"What is it?" I look fro?"

"Of course not!" says Muo to the Marshalls’ lunch party today, with Janice and Martin But don’t worry We’ll send our apologies"

"Don’t be silly!" I say at once "You o We don’t want to mess up your day"

There’s a pause

"Are you sure?" says Mum

She wasn’t supposed to say that She was supposed to say, "How could hter ht tones "You go to your lunch party and we’ll have a proper chat later"

"Well, OK," says Muet ready," says Janice "Lovely to see you back, Becky!"

As she disappears through the kitchen door I look at Dad, who’s still staring out the , brooding