He was actually sitting with the caterers. But he got a lot of food for the taste test. They had been served their drinks and appetizers. He wasn’t close enough to hear what they were talking about, but the two of them hadn’t stopped smiling and his father hadn’t been able to stop gesticulating wildly.

He saw their state of confusion as the band entered. He had noticed that they hadn’t really paid attention to the instruments. But he heard his mum exclaim sweetly when she saw Darlene. He hadn’t really told her what to say, but this was her area of expertise. She was the performer.

“Good evening” she...