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Maisy patted the chair next to her, with Amelia already settled on her other side.

      Rachel caught Granny Ruth’s eye and had to suppress a giggle as she sat down with all the children. But, she soon looked like she was having a ball, smiling broadly and passing around the plates of treats.

      ‘I love your hedgehogs, Granny. They’re sooo cute,’ said Maisy.

      ‘Ah, thank you pet. I’m glad you like them. I used to make them just like that for your grandad when he was a little boy.’

      ‘Really? That must be ages ago.’

      ‘Yes, it was.’ And there was a tell-tale glisten in Granny Ruth’s eyes as she spoke.

      Rachel found herself with a lump in her throat and Jill said she’d better head back across to the farmhouse to warm her individual sticky chocolate puds, which she was to serve with a blob of thick cream or local vanilla ice cream for the adults.

      Amongst the attendees were Eve, Charlotte – another close friend of Rachel’s who lived nearby and worked as a teacher at a primary school – several of the school mums and a couple of the dads, and Jill’s closest friend, Jan, who was also a farmer’s wife. They could relax for a few precious minutes whilst the children were busy tucking into the party food – lulling their minders and parents into a false sense of security ahead of their imminent sugar rush!

      With just one hour of the party to go, Rachel rushed up to get ready for the big ‘Birthday Cake Lighting Ceremony’. As she headed across the garden, Maisy came up and grabbed her hand.

      ‘Hey petal, you all right? Enjoying your party?’ Rachel asked.

      ‘Yes, it’s good, but is Daddy coming?’

      Oh my, she was still hoping, bless her.

      ‘Nicholas says he’s not real,’ Maisy then blurted out. That figured … he was the brat-kid who Rachel had seen fighting over the last cupcake. ‘That I don’t really have a daddy, but I do, don’t I?’

      ‘Of course you do, Maisy, but like I said, Daddy’s a long way away right now and I really don’t know when he’ll come back.’ She could only be honest (though economical with the full detail) with her little girl. Lies would just lead to more disappointment. Maisy brushed away a fat tear with the back of her hand, breaking Rachel’s heart. She lifted her daughter up into a hug. Sometimes, as much as you tried to protect them, they still got hurt.

      ‘Hey sweetheart, you go and have some fun with your friends. Show them your brilliant new slide and bouncy castle. I bet Nicholas hasn’t got one of those in his garden.’

      ‘O-kay, yes. I will.’

      Rachel popped her down next to the garden gate.

      ‘Come on, Amelia,’ Maisy called her best friend to her side. ‘Come see. I’ve got a new slide!’ The others heard and were soon dashing forwards too.

      Tom’s truck then appeared on the driveway. He parked up and made his way over, avoiding an incoming tide of excitable children. ‘Hi Rachel, Jill.’

      Several sets of ladies’ eyes seemed to light up as he approached the gathering, Eve’s, in fact, turning into saucers.

      ‘So, where’s the birthday girl?’ He seemed unaware of the effect he was having. He was holding a gift, wrapped up in Peppa Pig paper.

      Maisy heard him, turned in her tracks, and ran to him gleefully. ‘Tom!’

      ‘Hey, I heard it was someone’s birthday today.’

      Her eyes lit up as Tom handed her the present. She couldn’t wait to open it and promptly sat down on the driveway to tear the paper off. It was a bracelet-making set along with a storybook, some acrylic paints and coloured card with lots of glitter and sticky shapes to decorate it with.

      ‘Thank you, Tom, thank you!’ she squealed.

      Rachel was proud her daughter had remembered her manners. The little girl gave him a quick hug and then ran off to be with her friends who were enjoying the bouncy castle and slide.

      ‘Survived?’ Tom asked Rachel, with an understanding smile.

      ‘Just,’ she replied. ‘Do you fancy a tea or anything? There’s birthday cake coming shortly too.’

      ‘Well, now you’ve got me.’ He gave a grin.

      ‘Hi, Tom.’ Eve came across rather coyly, and Rachel left the two of them chatting whilst she went to fetch Tom a mug of tea and organise the candle-lighting for the birthday cake.

      ‘Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!’ they all chorused.

      The unicorn cake was met with delight, and Maisy’s face was a picture – she actually couldn’t speak. Rachel felt a happy tear crowd her eye.

      It was time to blow out the candles. Maisy scrunched up her face and made a silent wish. Rachel had a feeling she might well be wishing for a daddy – one that came to birthday parties. She felt a lump form in her throat for her little girl, and for the little girl inside herself too, still yearning for her own daddy to come back home, even though the adult in her knew that that was never going to happen.

      Jill sliced the cake up into rectangles of moist sponge, jam and icing. They ate it from napkins out in the sunshine, then the adults watched the children play once more. The early April day was warm and pleasant. The sky ultramarine with wisps of puffy white cloud. The fields, hills and countryside where their sheep and cattle grazed, were spring-green and bursting into life all around them.

      After eating a slice of cake and a sausage roll, Tom stood to say his goodbyes to the group. He then came across to Rachel. ‘I’d better be heading back.’

      ‘Well, thanks so much for taking the time to come across. I know Maisy loved seeing you.’

      ‘It’s no problem. She’s a great kid. And hey, you’ve done a brilliant job here, Rachel. The barn, everything. She’ll have had a real special day.’ His hand rested on her shoulder for a brief second. It felt reassuring, warm.

      ‘Thanks.’

      Tom then set off back to work at the farm next door. It was so nice that he’d made the effort to call. And, Rachel smiled to herself, it had certainly cheered up Eve’s day by the soppy look on her face.

      The party was wrapping up for another year, and after a flurry of farewells, a few tired tears, happy hugs and party bags distributed, it was finally time for home. Quiet – phew.

      Back at the house, Maisy crashed out on the old armchair by the Aga – Granny Ruth’s favourite seat. It had most likely been there when she and her husband, Grandad Ken, had lived in the farmhouse themselves with Rachel’s dad growing up as a little boy. There were so many memories over the generations in this farm, and there was a sense of history and comfort from that. Rachel placed a cosy blanket over Maisy, giving her tired daughter a kiss on her forehead, and set about doing the last of the washing-up in the kitchen.

      Jill arrived back from dropping off Granny Ruth, and Rachel poured out two glasses of left-over fizz as they collapsed at the kitchen table, with Maisy now sound asleep in the chair. A wave of fatigue hit Rachel.

      ‘Well, I’d say that was a success,’ pronounced Jill.

      ‘Yes.’ Rachel stifled a yawn. ‘Thanks Mum, for all your help. I couldn’t have pulled that off without you. All the food was just brilliant, and the second round of Sleeping Lions out in the garden was a triumph.’ In fact, two of the children had actually gone off to sleep.

      ‘The old games are the best.’ Jill winked.

      Rachel glanced over to check that Maisy was still sleeping, before lowering her voice. ‘Mum, I’m a bit worried about Maisy, lately.’

      ‘Oh … why’s that, pet?’

      ‘She’s been asking about her dad, and why he’s not around. I think

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