Checking my pockets for my phone, keys and wallet, I was ready to head to Skegness with my partner of 28 years, Elaine, 42, our boy, Mark, 11.
‘Don’t wreck the place,’ Elaine said to our son Anthony, 21, who was staying behind at home while the three of us went on a family holiday.
‘I won’t,’ he said, with his trademark cheeky grin.
We didn’t mind him having some friends over, and suspected his girlfriend would come and stay, too.
I was looking forward to some quality time with Elaine though.
She had been suffering with an alcohol addiction for a while, and I feared she was gradually getting worse.
But I hoped that some time away from our busy lives to chill out would do her the world…