“Yes, all is well. Lachlan agrees with my doctor in Sydney.” Paula couldn’t stop her hand from resting on her stomach. “This baby will be born in March.”

“That could be so.” Chris had swapped his load of containers for the beer Dan had just opened for him. “My sister-in-law never produced hers on the due date. From what I recall, one arrived ridiculously early and the other two were late.”

“It’s a long way off yet.” Dan handed Dara a glass of wine and Paula a sparkling mineral water. “Lots to be done before there’s time to have a baby.”

Paula looked at him. His tone had been gruff. They were among friends. He didn’t have to pretend he wasn’t as excited about this baby as she was.

“Wonderful.” Dara raised her glass. “We’ve got time to turn that awful junk room of yours into a nursery. Can we look at it before the others arrive, Paula? I’ve got some ideas…”

“It’ll be fine with a coat of paint,” Dan said.

“That’s what you think, Dan my friend, but I’m betting these two will have far more planned than that.” Chris draped his free arm around his wife’s shoulders. “I know how you like to redecorate but—”

“Better she does than Paula.”

They all turned to see Ted standing in the doorway. Heather hovered behind him.

“We knocked.” Ted carried his sixpack to the fridge. “If you’re going to paint, don’t let that wife of yours choose the colours or the baby will need sunglasses.”

Paula clenched her fingers into her palms and forced a smile onto her face. Ted always had the ability to put her on edge. He was referring to the brightly coloured kitchen cupboards. When she had married Dan, one of the first things they’d done was repaint the kitchen. The walls and ceiling were white but the old cupboards had needed a facelift and she’d chosen an avocado green for the drawers which ran parallel to the bench top and a crisp blue for the doors below them. It had all matched well with the old honey-yellow tiles on the wall and had accentuated the bright colours in the blue and green design on the new plates that stood on display in the large dresser on the other wall. Everyone else had liked it.

“Hello, Ted, Heather.” Dan lifted his hand in a wave.

Dara and Chris both greeted the newcomers. Ted opened a stubby but Heather lingered in the doorway as he made his way across the room to Chris and Dan.