“I’ve got my first antenatal class tonight.”

“Oh.”

“I’m not sure I’m up for it.”

“I could come. I can get Mum and Dad to babysit.”

“Thanks, Em, but I’ll be fine.”

Freddie starts to scream in the background.

“Crap,” Emma mutters. “I think Freddie just got a bee sting.”

“You’d better go.”

“Yeah. I’ll call you after the meeting and see how it went, OK?”

In other words, she’ll phone to check I actually went.

“’K,” I say, listening to her hang up.

I’ve barely taken a breath before there’s a knock on my door. My heart leaps as I picture Scott standing outside.

Why would I think of him? He’s hardly going to turn up unexpectedly. Maybe I shouldn’t answer. I could sit here silently until whoever it is leaves.

There’s another knock and I hear my name.

It’s Pete. Damn him.

When I open the door, he’s holding a bunch of blue hydrangeas in one hand and a giant present with a thick yellow ribbon in the other.

“I’m so sorry, Trish. It was shit of me to cancel on you like that. For work of all things.”

He looks apologetic. Plus, he’s in the pale blue shirt I bought him several years ago. It looks just as good on him now as it did then.

“You do remember how much I dislike people just turning up at my house, don’t you?”

Pete nods, his expression trite.

“Yes, but I also wanted to apologize in person.”

I glance at the flowers. “Are they for me?”

He holds them out, a hesitant smile on his face.

“I wasn’t sure if they’re still your favourite…”

I accept the hydrangeas without smiling. “One of them.”

His smile widens. “Phew, at least I didn’t mess that one up.”

“And the present?” I glance at the large box tucked under his arm.

He holds it in two hands in front of him but keeps it close to his chest.

“Actually, this is for you and the baby. I know it in no way makes up for the fact I should have helped out the other day, but I wanted to get something special and I spent the whole day trying to find the right thing.”

I stare him directly in the eye and wait. He deserves to squirm for a little longer.

“Anyway…” Pete shuffles from one foot to the other. “Can I come in? At least while you open the present”

This isn’t a side of Pete I’ve seen for a long time. It reminds me of the first few weeks after we got together when he was slightly nervous around me, afraid to put a foot wrong in case I sent him packing. Once he was sure I was well and truly in love with him, he gained more confidence. Stopped trying.