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album was for an essay he had to write when he was thirteen about his family’s personal history. He only spent an evening or two on it whereas most people had spent a week and was therefore not the least bit surprised by his ‘D’ grade and his English teacher’s comment that he had not only let himself down but his family too.
    ‘Your dad has been telling us some great stories about his and your mum’s wedding day. Did you know that your mum was over twenty minutes late arriving at the church? The hairdresser overslept and your mum refused to leave the house without her hair done so they had no choice but to wait.’
    ‘Is that true, Dad?’
    George nodded. ‘I was stood at the back of the church looking at my watch like a damn fool. Everyone thought she had done a runner. Still, she turned up in the end.’ He gave Cassie a cheeky wink. ‘I always knew she would.’
    ‘And,’ continued Cassie, ‘did you also know that your Auntie Rose wasn’t meant to be your mum’s maid of honour?’
    ‘I didn’t even know that Mum had a maid of honour,’ replied Luke.
    ‘Well she did,’ replied Cassie. ‘It was meant to be your mum’s best friend Janet but she never turned up on the day and by the time your mum and dad went back to work the following week she’d moved and no one’s seen her since.’
    ‘You make it sound like a murder mystery,’ laughed Luke.
    ‘Maybe it is.’
    ‘Any other factoids about my parents’ wedding that you’d like to impart?’
    ‘Only the best one.’
    ‘Which is?’
    ‘Not only did your mum and dad get married the same month that we’re planning to get married but guess what?’
    Luke thought for a moment. It could be anything. ‘Is it that they got married on the same day that we’re planning to get hitched?’
    ‘Nice try but that’s not it.’
    ‘OK . . . how about . . . I don’t know . . . their first dance is the same song that you want to be our first dance?’
    Cassie shook her head.
    ‘I officially give up. What’s the big secret then?’
    ‘Next year is their fortieth wedding anniversary! Isn’t that amazing? Your mum and dad have been married forty years! I asked your dad what the secret was but he just shrugged and said, “I’m blowed if I know.” ’
    Luke looked at Adam. It wasn’t the least bit surprising that neither he nor Luke knew that their parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary was coming up. They could barely muster the energy to remember each other’s birthdays without severe prompting from their mum; adding a parental wedding anniversary to the mix was a step too far. ‘Is that right, Dad? Are you and Mum really celebrating forty years together next year?’
    ‘What’s that?’ Luke’s mum was in the room carrying a tray laden with tea and coffee.
    ‘Dad was saying it’s your fortieth wedding anniversary next year.’
    ‘Been counting the days have you, George?’ she laughed. ‘There’s no time off for good behaviour.’
    ‘So how are you going to celebrate, Joan?’ asked Cassie. ‘Something nice?’
    ‘George and I don’t like to make a fuss,’ said Mum. ‘It’s not our thing really.’
    ‘You can’t not celebrate a fortieth wedding!’ Cassie was genuinely shocked. ‘It’s not right. Luke, tell your mum that she can’t ignore her wedding anniversary.’
    ‘Honestly, Cassie,’ interjected Dad. ‘It really isn’t our thing.’
    Cassie turned to Adam. ‘Well, aren’t you going to say anything?’
    ‘Nah,’ said Adam. ‘It’s not really our kind of thing either. What you’ve got to learn about us Bachelors, Cass, is that we don’t like to make a fuss.’
    ‘I wouldn’t go that far,’ said Mum. ‘Cassie does have a point. Forty years is a long time.’
    ‘Exactly,’ enthused Cassie. ‘It’s a massive achievement in this day and age, Joan, and I think it would be a shame to just let it slide like that.’
    Luke watched his mum warming to the idea of a celebration. ‘What kind of thing were you