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‘It’s the best tree ever,’ Summer said.

‘Why isn’t ours as big?’ Henry asked.

‘Our living room is a bit smaller so we have two – one for the living room and one for you guys to decorate exactly how you want,’ Polly explained.

‘Why haven’t we got a tree to decorate exactly how we want?’ Toby asked.

‘Because you got the world’s most expensive tree,’ Jonathan said. He was still a little red faced from the exertion. It was a very big tree.

‘Why isn’t ours the world’s most expensive?’ Martha asked.

The adults all shook their heads.

‘We’ll go and drop yours off next,’ Tomasz said to Polly, Matt, Martha, and Henry. ‘Then I better get mine back to the house, as Franceska is insisting the boys help to decorate it. I thought Tommy would say he was far too old but he agreed. Although as Connie’s coming over, he’s allowed to have Charlie too.’

I was pleased by this news. Although Tommy wasn’t quite his old self, it sounded like he was getting there.

We had a lovely afternoon. Claire put on her favourite Christmas music, someone called Michael Bubl?, who apparently was a very handsome Christmas singer. Even Jonathan began to stop moaning about the cost of the tree as they started getting the decorations out.

We had got all the decorations down from the loft earlier and Claire was sorting them out, with Toby helping.

‘All I want for Christmas is you,’ the singer sang.

‘All I want for Christmas is you,’ Claire joined in, laughing, and gave Toby a hug, then Summer and Jonathan. As the family danced around the living room – including Jonathan, who had Summer dancing on his feet – George and I joined in. We danced until our paws hurt.

‘I know, let’s make hot chocolate and have marshmallows while we decorate the tree,’ Claire suggested.

‘Yay!’ Toby and Summer said.

‘Put a shot of whisky in mine,’ Jonathan said.

‘I might, if you promise not to be grumpy,’ she replied.

‘Mew,’ George said to me. He was a bit partial to marshmallows, which weren’t exactly cat friendly and which I didn’t like because they were sticky, but each to their own.

It might have taken us hours but the tree did look impressive when it was finished.

‘Wow, it’s beautiful,’ Claire said quite emotionally as Jonathan climbed up the stepladder and placed the angel on top.

‘That’s the angel both you kids made last year,’ Jonathan added. ‘Right, who is going to do the big light switch on?’

‘Me, me, me,’ Summer said.

‘Meeee,’ Toby said.

‘I’d say it’s a draw, so as we have two sets of lights, you can plug one in each on my count.’

I could barely contain my excitement as the children took the plugs and got ready to put them in the socket.

‘Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, go,’ Jonathan said.

‘Wow,’ Claire said as the lights all sparkled and the tree lit up.

‘Mew,’ I said. It was beautiful.

‘Yowl,’ George said. ‘It’s going to be hard to resist climbing that one.’

‘Please try.’ I flicked my tail.

‘Silent Night’ started playing and we all huddled round the tree, admiring it.

‘Plenty of room for Santa to put presents,’ Summer said.

‘But remember, it’s not just about presents,’ Toby said. He was pretty mature for a kid.

‘No, it’s about family, love, and caring about those who aren’t as lucky as us,’ Claire said.

‘Like the homeless people,’ Summer said.

‘Meow.’ Maybe Summer was maturing too.

‘Family photo time!’ Claire said.

Jonathan got his phone as Summer put tinsel round George and we all stood by the tree– Jonathan and Claire at the back, Summer holding George, and Toby holding me at the front. Jonathan took it as a selfie.

‘That will be our Christmas card this year,’ Claire declared as she looked at it. I managed to jump onto the chair arm and see it; we did look like a perfect family. But then, we pretty much were.

We’d gone back to admiring the tree when the doorbell went. I ran after Jonathan to see who it was. Tommy stood on the doorstep, looking sheepish.

‘I thought you were decorating your tree?’ Jonathan said.

‘We did it. Apparently our tree is normal and yours is a monster.’

‘It is,’ Jonathan agreed.

‘Aleksy walked Connie home, so I thought I’d come and see you.’

‘Come on in.’

‘Actually, can we talk here? It’s just that I don’t want the kids to see me and think I’m mean for not playing with them again.’

‘OK, sure.’ I stood outside with Jonathan even though it was bitterly cold.

‘I came to say sorry.’

‘What for?’ Jonathan asked.

‘I know you said that if I behaved myself and got good grades I might be able to do work experience and I was grateful but for some reason I just managed to get into more trouble. I feel like I upset everyone in my family and now I’ve realised that I don’t want to be that person anymore.’

‘Right, well that’s a good start. But what’s made you realise this?’