We were relaxing with our French friends, including the M and D families, and PG. I asked about the red cardboard constructions on the grand piano. With their black and gold lettering they looked like Chinese New Year decorations or fortune cards.

‘Oh, they’re just future memorials for us for after we die’ said one of the party.

I picked one up to examine it closely. On the front it gave the dates of the deaths of the twins. When I turned it over I was shocked to see my own death date had also been identified. Apparently my name merited inclusion in this scheme because I was the children’s first au pair girl.