If only! Alison picked up the day’s visitor schedule and scanned down the names, the words blurring on the paper as tears pooled in her eyes. She would not cry. She was stronger than that. Besides, she’d already cried a reservoir that morning so there couldn’t possibly be any water left in her body.

‘He gave me nothing,’ she admitted. ‘Not even a hug.’

‘Do you think he forgot?’ Sarah asked.

Alison shook her head. ‘He’ll mention it tonight. He’s always running late on a morning.’ The thing was, in the early days, it was because he couldn’t resist her, pulling her back to bed or joining her in the shower. Not anymore. What had happened to them? Where had the intimacy gone? Together since they were seventeen, the first six years had been so good. As for the last four… But every couple had rough patches, didn’t they? That’s all this was.

‘I bet he’ll have a surprise planned for when you get home,’ Sarah said. ‘How many years are you celebrating?’

Tears under control, Alison looked up from the paperwork. She took in Sarah’s eager smile and her stomach clenched. Another person who didn’t know. She’d have to tell her. ‘It’s not that kind of anniversary. It’s actually—’

‘I’d like to check out. Room 387.’ A heavily pregnant woman accompanied by two nursery-aged girls stood in front of the reception desk.

‘I won’t be a moment.’ Alison tapped a few keys to retrieve the guest’s bill. ‘Was everything all right with your stay, Mrs Hanson?’

‘It was lovely, thanks.’

‘Ask her,’ said the older child, tugging on her mum’s skirt.

Mrs Hanson frowned at her daughter. ‘Shh!’

‘Ask her!’

‘Shhhhh!’

‘Is there something I can help with?’ Alison asked as she printed the bill.

‘No! It’s nothing. She’s being silly.’

‘I am not,’ cried the child. ‘Ask her.’

‘No.’

Leaning over the desk, Alison smiled at the girl. ‘I’m here to help. You can ask me anything, sweetheart.’

‘Honestly, it’s nothing.’ Mrs Hanson tried to put her hand across her daughter’s mouth, but the girl wriggled from her grasp.

And then it was too late.

The child looked up at Alison, all blonde curls, chubby cheeks, and innocent big blue eyes. ‘Is your baby a boy or a girl?’

Alison’s stomach churned as though on a spin cycle. Smile. Must keep smiling.

‘Olivia!’ her mum cried. She turned to Alison, clearly mortified. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘It’s fine.’ With shaking hands, Alison passed her the bill. ‘If you’d like to—’

A MasterCard was thrust into her hand.

‘You haven’t said,’ Olivia wailed. ‘Mummy’s having a baby too and I want a brother this time. If she has a girl and you have a boy, can you swap?’