We walked to the car and Mum let out a string of expletives.

“beep beep beep” she spat as she ripped a parking ticket off the windscreen.

She got to the driver’s side and unlocked the passenger door.

“Well there’s not much point staying in character now Simon.” she said as I got in the car ‘lady’ style.

“This skirt’s so tight I can’t do it any other way.” I said as I fastened my seatbelt.

Mum apologized and said she should have listened to me and intermittently cursed herself for most of the drive home.

She stopped at an off-license for a bottle of wine.

“Drinking isn’t going to help.” I said when I noticed several bottles in the bag

“No… but after losing one of my biggest clients, it’s going to make me feel better,” she replied.