As soon as I hear Ellis’s footfall on the steps I need her in my arms. So that is what I do. She has barely reached the bottom step before I hug her, my head buried in her neck, inhaling her scent. It’s a good thing that she doesn’t push me away. No, she holds me just as tightly as I hold her. Like if we hold each other hard enough it will rewind time and none of this would have happened. We would be smiling and I would be making her lunch and we would be okay.

“I’m sorry, Sunshine,” I say into her hair and squeeze her tighter. She buries her head as close as she can to me.

Keeping her in my arms I walk us over to the sofa with her tight to my side. We sit together wrapped in each other for a few minutes. I don’t know what to say, I know I am scared to upset her, I can’t let what happened upstairs happen again. I need to stay calm, at least now I know she isn’t planning on staying, so the surprise is gone.

“Do you want to move out?” I ask. At the end of the day, no matter how much I want her here, I won’t force her to stay.

“I guess it never crossed my mind that I wouldn’t go back; I only moved here because I was bed bound and now I’m not. You don’t need to look after me any more.” It’s logical but I don’t care about logic. There is nothing logical about the way I love her.

“I love you, I want you in the house, in my bed. If you don’t want to live in this house we will look for somewhere else, but if you think you won’t be sleeping in my bed every night then you are crazy. If I have to move into that two-bedroom place with you then that’s what we’ll do.” I will do it, the four of us in a two-bedroom will be cramped, but I can think of it as cosy.

Though we will definitely need a bigger bed because I’ve tried lying in her queen before. I don’t even completely fit.

“Liam, Charlotte won’t stop crying, Jack starts school again next week so it’s going to be hectic and you need to be able to sleep. The season is going to be busy! You need rest. Your contract is up, you need to show them you’re ready to sign again.” She thinks this is what I want. I can see it.