He sighed heavily, and I realized Oscar had taken this as a veiled dig at him.

‘Oh, I didn’t mean that I blame you in any way,’ I said quickly.

He placed a hand on my hair and tenderly stroked it and the side of my cheek.

‘You’re going to be the most amazing mother,’ said Oscar. ‘I’m here for you both.’

He pulled me in for a hug and I lost whatever control I had and leant into him. I hid my face as tears collected in my eyes.

We were glad of the new Netflix drama taking our minds elsewhere as we ate the takeaway together.

Oscar held me for an extra-long time as we embraced in the hallway before he left.

‘Do you need anything?’ he asked when we pulled apart.

If only I could tell him how confused a part of me felt; if only he knew what a mess it all was.

‘I’m fine, just going to take the doctor’s advice and be kind to myself. I’ll work from home for a bit, but they advise you carry on as normal, so I just have to hope for the best.’

‘Of course. Let me know if you need supplies.’ He was a generous man, Oscar. He might not be the most practical, but he was considerate and had the budget to facilitate anything I might need.

I smiled. ‘That’s sweet of you, but I’m fine.’

‘Okay, I’m here if you need me,’ he said. ‘I’ve got Evie and Ollie this weekend, but we could easily swing by if you want some company. We’re dog-sitting for Pippa too. You could join us on a walk. Otherwise, see you on Monday, Lucy,’ he said sweetly. ‘It’s your birthday if you hadn’t forgotten, so I’m taking you out for lunch, to Nobu, whether you like it or not.’

Dear Oscar. He hadn’t had the easiest time himself recently. He was a good, strong person, and he had given me space for the last six months because he knew it wasn’t fair when he didn’t want any more babies. But there was no denying we enjoyed each other’s company, and he was making a big effort to ensure we stayed friends.

‘Thanks, Mr Bright,’ I said, tears welling in my eyes.

I must have lost track of time and dozed off on the spare bed. I awoke to the baby kicking energetically and I propped myself up on my side. My back ached.

‘Ouch, you feisty little thing,’ I muttered, receiving another kick just as I rose up to sitting, one hand on my back, feeling like an elephant rousing from an afternoon nap.

I heard the key turn in the front door downstairs.

‘Lucy?’ Oscar called out, checking where I was. That meant it must be around seven o’clock.

‘Upstairs!’ I called back, trying not to sound as though I’d just woken up. I moved towards the desk and shoved the donor paperwork back into its file. ‘Been doing some tidying.’