Once the pain has subsided, she opens the wardrobe. A stack of unopened mail order bags falls out. Shit, Adam must have been in here. He’ll be mad with her for spending more money on the credit card. No wonder he’s not getting back to her. She could say they’re Christmas presents, that’s why she’s not opened them. But the truth is she’s gone on another mad spending spree trying to make herself feel better. He’s making her unhappy. Strange that he found them though, she’d deliberately hidden them at the back. She pushes them aside and takes out a new white top she’s been dying to wear because she loves the slogan across the front in gorgeous white diamante lettering: the pitter patter of tiny feet. She curls her hair and reapplies her make-up, finishing by applying berry-coloured lip gloss.

She comes downstairs, to a soft inviting scent. Julie has dimmed the lights and lit special candles in the living room, making it look magical.

‘Do you like it?’ Julie has changed from jeans into a satin wrapover dress.

‘The house looks and smells gorgeous, thanks honey.’ She gives Julie a hug. On the dining room table, pram-shaped confetti is scattered around a stack of wooden bricks which spell ‘Baby’ and ‘Charlie’, the name she has chosen without Adam. It’ll be perfect, whether it is a boy or a girl.

Jaz is the first to arrive and is already a bit tipsy, followed by Louise, a girl with thick red hair they know from school.

‘Where is that lovely man of yours?’ Jaz says. She’s wearing a leather studded miniskirt and a white see-through blouse.

‘Away on business,’ Alison says.

‘Surely not. When you’re about to drop? Hey that rhymes.’ She giggles and drops down on the sofa.

‘Keep your trap shut,’ Julie hisses.

‘You look blooming marvellous in any case.’ Jaz stands up again and helps herself to a glass of bubbly from the table.

‘Why don’t I get you a glass of water, Jasmine?’ Julie says.

‘Good to see you, Jaz.’ Alison takes the oddly shaped gift from her. Julie steers Jaz by the elbow into the kitchen.

When everyone has arrived, Julie shows Alison onto a chair which is decorated like a throne. ‘Time you put your feet up,’ she says. One of the mums brings in a pink fluffy footstool, made specially for her.

‘That’s lovely, thank you.’

‘But before you sit down, you need to put this on.’ Julie places a sash saying Mummy 2 B over Alison’s head and straightens it out across her bump. All the girls clap and cheer.

‘Open the presents then.’ Jaz claps her hands like an excited five-year-old.

‘Ali will open a present before each game.’ Julie refers to her list. ‘So, which one would you like first?’