The house was quiet, the children in bed. No sign of Skylar. There wouldn’t be, thought Carmen. She prodded her heart. No. She was cured.

“Sis? Sofia?”

There came a noise from the kitchen.

“Oh, you are joking,” said Carmen. Sofia was sitting slumped over on the floor in a pool of water.

“Don’t you start,” said Sofia. “I’ve had Federico on the phone all evening.”

“Why didn’t you call me?”

“I thought Skylar would come home, then I could just get a taxi to hospital.”

“Why didn’t you—?”

“Please, Carmen.”

“Okay,” said Carmen. “I’ll get one.”

Sofia sighed. “Good luck in Christmas week.”

“Well, I’ll drive. I’ve only had one glass.”

Sofia shook her head. “Are you kidding? You driving sober on icy roads is bad enough. No. You’re home now; get me a cab. I’ll get to hospital. Federico’s at the airport.”

“Okay. Have you called Mum?”

“Christ, no, I can’t handle the entire panic stations.”

The sisters tentatively smiled at each other.

“Okay,” said Carmen. “Come on, let’s get you up.”

But before she could finish the sentence or even pull up the Uber app, Sofia was bending double.

“Ah, bugger.”

“It’s okay, though?” said Carmen. “Babies take ages to come, right?”

“The first one does,” said Sofia. “Number four just kind of strolls out.”

“Shit,” said Carmen. “Are you going to make it?”

Sofia pulled herself up, breathing heavily, to collapse in the big chair. “You know how you call me a control freak?”

“I have never called you that,” said Carmen, inputting the info for the route on her phone, “to your face.”

Sofia did several more panting breaths. “Well, this is the time when it comes in useful. Get me a cab, then you stay here and babysit.”

“You can’t be alone,” said Carmen.

“I can,” said Sofia. “I promise, it’s not a new experience, and it has poo in it. I’ll get them to call you when I’m done, okay? Don’t worry. I got this.” They were holding hands then, and Sofia suddenly squeezed Carmen’s tight. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” said Carmen. “Federico will come straightaway, won’t he?”

“Well, if he has a quick trip to a gym and spa, I’m going to be very . . . ach . . .” She bent over and squeezed Carmen’s hand again.

“You’re right,” said Carmen. “This is painful.”

“Just. Don’t. Wake. The. Children.”

THEY WOULD HAVE gotten away with it too, if the cabbie hadn’t turned up and immediately honked four times, enough to wake the street. Carmen had Sofia’s immaculately packed hospital bag and was about to help her sister out to the cab, when there came the familiar banging feet from upstairs.

“Oh no,” said Sofia.

“Oh no,” said the cabbie as they opened the door and he saw what he was picking up.