She escaped from his embrace and skipped away from his hands as he made another pounce at her. “Come on. You wash up and I’ll get the lunch. Then you can see the surprise.” She didn’t want him to turn back into the grump he’d arrived as.

* * *

Dan helped himself to one more of the little cakes Paula offered him before she put the container away. Rowena had given him the cakes yesterday and she had reminded him about the appointment with their lawyer on Wednesday. He couldn’t go without telling Paula but he wasn’t sure how to go about it.

“Dan, look at this.”

Paula was standing beside him with her top pulled up to reveal her jeans hanging open.

“Is it time for the surprise?” He laughed.

She gave his wandering hand a playful smack. “My clothes don’t fit. Our baby is growing.”

He pulled her closer and rested his ear on the tiny bulge of her stomach. “What’s that you say, child? You think your mother needs new clothes. I can understand you don’t want a mother who embarrasses you when her pants fall down.”

She side-stepped away from him, avoiding his clumsy attempt to pull her jeans lower. “I’ll just have to wear some of yours,” she said, as she rearranged her clothes.

“I tell you what. There are a couple of things I need to do in the city before harvest. Thought I’d go on Wednesday. Would you like to come?”

Paula came up behind him and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh Dan, that would be great. I could get some new clothes. I was wondering what I was going to wear to the premiership dinner and there are things I need for the baby’s room. I could do some shopping. Perhaps we could visit some of the hospitals Lachlan mentioned. I can’t have the baby here…”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, little lady. We’re making a quick day trip, not staying for a week.”

“Okay, but I’ll have time to do a few jobs. That’d be great. Now come on.” She tapped him on the shoulder. “It’s time for you to see the surprise.”

Dan stood up and followed her. He gave a sigh of relief. He didn’t want to lie to Paula but she was so excited about the trip to Adelaide she hadn’t quizzed him on what business he needed to do. Maybe it would all work out okay.

* * *

“Open your eyes,” Paula said, as she let go of Dan’s hand in the doorway of the baby’s room.

He blinked. “You’ve moved out all the ladders and paints. That’s great.”

“Come in and look.” She urged him into the room, so that he could see the corner behind the door.

“Where did that come from?” He leaned down to inspect the rocking horse.

“Rowena had it stashed in a shed.”