Today was Celeste’s birthday and it was all shades of wrong for all the obvious reasons. Celeste was so very happy and seemed pretty unaffected by all the tears and drawing in of breath. Her Granny had made her a cake and there was even a present from James that he had bought for her in January, which I made him stash until it was her birthday.

It was this John Derian picture plate. He thought it might be funny as she has such a penchant for bunnies. Of course she wasn’t remotely interested. When we all sang happy birthday we told her to make a wish. I thought she would wish for Daddy to come back or a new Daddy and I’d watch as everyone became really uncomfortable but what she said was as unpredictable as ever and for the first time I thought: I think this Celestial one is going to be okay.

For Rowan Coleman, for believing in me.