Shona had composed herself, and her voice sounded firm and almost cheerful, in an uncanny imitation of her father’s false bonhomie the day he had visited, as she said, ‘Of course, darling. There’s no need to worry. It’s just a stupid girl thing - sorry I’m taking so long.’

On the other side of the door, as she spoke to Parvez, Shona was mirroring him, her forehead leaning against the door, the palm of her hand flat against it, as though she could feel the heat of him through the white painted wood, trying to draw some solace from his closeness without having to let him near. She turned her face and looked at herself in the mirror above the sink, her eyes red, her face puffy and disfigured with tears, all its cheerful definition dissolved by her unhappiness. She was such a pitiful sight that her resolve almost weakened, and her fingers traced the door with yearning, willing herself to tell him the truth. It was too hard. Hearing Parvez finally walk away, she called out with the same firm, cheerful voice, Tll see you when you get back, thank you for the present, Puppy.’

When she was sure that Parvez was gone, Shona opened the door carefully and saw the golden sunflowers that he had left on the table. She picked them up and unaccountably held them to her nose even though she knew there would be no scent. She collapsed to the floor clutching them, letting the raw sobs tear wantonly through her body.

That evening Parvez came home to a smiling Stepford wife, wearing her pinny with pride as she cooked up a fish stew with yet more inedible vegetables, the flowers sunnily smiling from a vase at the centre of the table. She ran to the door and kissed him as he came in and Parvez, relieved that the mood was over, kissed her all the way back to the kitchen.

After dinner, Shona mentioned casually that she had picked up some leaflets from the local GP. She suggested they make an appointment. The surprise sunflower day was thus to mark the beginning of months and months of tests, in which Parvez’s sperm was analysed and criticized, as were the contents of Shona’s barren, non-ovulating womb.