This was the life he’d dreamed of. He’d proved to himself he could be a better person and stay out of trouble. The blokes at work ribbed him all the time for sticking at home with what they called his pipe and slippers, and yeah maybe he did miss going out and having fun sometimes, but those carefree days were over. He’d grown up and was a responsible family man now. He was sensible and straight like Maddy, nothing like his useless father. He had a lot to thank her for.

When he thought back to the flat he’d shared with Gran, he pictured damp walls and curtains that were falling down, no double glazing, draughty windows and stick-on carpet tiles. The fridge was never packed with food like it was here. Now he earned a good wage and someone to share the bills with. They were lucky not to have a mortgage; by the time Maddy inherited the house the insurance had paid it.

‘Are you ready to go?’ Maddy called out.

‘We’re coming.’ He scooped Emily up and carried her down the stairs. It was almost lunchtime and a few of the mums that met at the library for story-time and crafting were meeting at the park for a teddy bears’ picnic.

He strapped Emily in the car and grabbed the hamper of food and drinks. Maddy brought Chloe out in her pram car seat and strapped it in the front facing backwards. Emily had chosen the blue fluffy teddy bear they’d bought her for her first birthday. She called him Beau although she meant Bow because of the large bow around his neck. It was the source of endless jokes between them.

‘Can you drive today, Max, I’m feeling tired.’

‘Of course. We don’t have to stay too long if you don’t want to.’

‘I’ll see how I feel. It’s such a beautiful autumn day and I didn’t want to let Diane down. She’s been organising this for weeks.’

‘You wouldn’t be letting her down, she’d understand. It’s only been three weeks since Chloe was born.’

‘A few of us are going to talk about starting a book group. We’ve sort of been doing it while we were pregnant, but we don’t want to let it drift away, so we thought if we made it more official, maybe invite a few other readers in and organise how often we meet et cetera, it’ll give us all something more interesting to share other than weaning recipes and feeding times.’

‘That sounds perfect for you.’ He climbed in the driver’s seat. Maddy got in next to him.

‘It is. My friend Jo and I used to spend hours discussing the books we’d read.’

‘The one from school? Are you still in touch with her?’ He started the car.

‘No, she died in her early twenties.’