She’s at her gate, but now she sees the next-door neighbour, Will, coming out of his house. He’s holding his heavily pregnant wife Katie’s hand up as she grips on to it for dear life. Her red cheeks puff out.

‘Is she …?’ Helga asks as Katie makes a strangled noise and her knees buckle a bit. She can see the tips of Will’s fingers going purple where she’s gripping them.

‘We’re going to the hospital, but we’re going to have to take Josh with us. My mum is on a train stuck at a signal. It’s a nightmare,’ Will says. He sounds scared. ‘Come on, Josh. Hurry up,’ he urges.

Helga can see he’s torn – trying to support his wife, but also not to frighten his kid. They’re both getting soaked in the rain. Helga looks at the little toddler hiding behind the doorframe. He’s still in his pyjamas, holding a toy rabbit, pressing the ear to his upper lip.

‘That’s it, buddy, come on. Let’s get Mummy to the hospital,’ Will tries to cajole him. He looks desperate.

‘I’ll watch him until she gets here,’ Helga offers. ‘Your mum, I mean. I don’t mind.’

‘You would?’

Helga tries to look reassuring. ‘Yeah. Sure. I’m really happy to help out.’

Katie’s knees buckle again. ‘Quick.’

‘Granny will be here in a few minutes.’ Will kneels in front of the child and kissing him, says, ‘OK? Will you be a good boy and wait with …’

‘Helga,’ Helga reminds him. ‘He can come to my house if he wants,’ Helga suggests, but Will shakes his head. ‘Can you wait with him at ours? It’s against the rules. I think. I’m not sure. This is an emergency, right?’

Helga nods and crosses over the small divide – something she’s never done before, and Will kisses the little boy on the head. ‘Be a good boy, OK?’ He looks at Helga, nervously. ‘Thank you. My mother really won’t be long. Fifteen minutes, tops.’

‘Wiiiiillll,’ Katie moans.

‘You go. Oh, what does he like? Does he need feeding?’

‘Josh? No. He’s eaten. He’s good at drawing. He’s always drawing something.’

‘Then I’ll show him how to draw a boat.’ The little boy looks up at her with large, frightened brown eyes. ‘It’s OK. I don’t bite,’ she tells him. ‘Good luck,’ she calls out, as she closes the door.

Will and Katie’s cottage is how her house could be if she’d made some effort to modernise it. It’s bright and light and full of lush-looking houseplants and linen couches.

‘Could you show me your picture?’ Helga asks, as she takes off her wet coat and leaves it by the door. Josh goes to a desk in the open-plan kitchen and soberly lifts the lid, then pulls out a sheaf of A3 sheets covered in pencil and crayon and some that are crinkly with heavily applied paint. He brings them over to her and Helga carefully studies each one. She sees that the proportions are all good and that little Josh has a good eye.