‘Oh heavens,’ said Betsy crossly, jamming her hand on her hip, ‘why didn’t you remind me? It’s your hospital appointment today and here I am holding you up. I wondered to what I owed the pleasure of a visit from my grandson and heir on a weekday. Of course,’ she shot me a sly look, ‘it’s not me he’s here to see, is it? It’s you.’

‘Actually, it’s neither of you.’ He grinned. ‘It’s Lottie’s baby I can’t wait to see. I’ve always wanted to see one of those scanning machines close up. Now please hurry up, Gran, we need to get going.’

A tiny bubble of joy burst inside me and I had to turn away.

‘You’ll make someone a lovely husband,’ said Betsy, cupping a gnarled hand to his cheek, echoing my thoughts perfectly. I watched them, wishing I was brave enough to do the same to him. She sighed heavily. ‘It must be a wonderful thing to see your own child safe and sound, breathing, moving, growing … There was nothing like that in my day when I had Samantha. I wish …’ She swallowed and shook her head. ‘Well, I probably couldn’t see it now anyway, with my useless eyes.’

‘Come with us!’ I said, suddenly craving safety in numbers. ‘Marjorie too. And even if you can’t see the screen you might hear the heartbeat.’

‘Damn it. I can’t, dear girl,’ Marjorie said from the front seat. She was using the car’s vanity mirror to pull a hair out on her chin. ‘Got an important meeting with the bank.’

‘Dressed as an Alice Cooper groupie,’ said Betsy tartly. ‘That’s got success written all over it.’

Marjorie chuckled. ‘Once a rock chick always a rock chick.’

‘But I’d be honoured, Lottie, really I would.’ Betsy made a sprightly leap towards me and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

Jensen looked doubtful. ‘Are you sure about this?’

‘Definitely,’ I confirmed. ‘You Butterworths are the nearest I’ve got to family at the moment. I’m …’ My voice went croaky for a second and I had to clear my throat. ‘I’m a bit anxious about it, to be honest.’

‘That’s settled then.’ Betsy beamed. ‘Now come along, chop, chop, child, let’s get this milk in the fridge before it turns into yogurt.’

Jensen rolled his eyes and he and Betsy disappeared inside. I blew out a breath. I started towards home to collect my things when Marjorie called me back. She smoothed the skin on the back of my hand with her thumbs.

‘You can do this, you know.’ She eyed me wisely.

‘Yeah.’ I looked down at the ground. ‘But it’s not what I’d have planned. I know it’s old-fashioned, but I thought I’d fall in love, get married and then start a family. I seem to be going about it backwards.’