A cheer went up from the patrons and the trivia crew took their seats.

‘Welcome to trivia night,’ Cheryl said. ‘Where anything can happen.’

No Trivia Master meant no trivia, but no one in the pub seemed concerned. They all hung about waiting on news from the hospital and George kept the drinks flowing. Less than half an hour later, Mandy’s mobile rang. Danny helped her stand on the table so all the pub could hear her.

‘A girl …’

‘We knew that,’ came a voice somewhere from behind.

‘Three point two kilos. Both well …’

‘And?’ shouted several people from around the room.

‘Drum roll, please,’ she requested, and Danny, Trevor and Cheryl tapped the table.

‘Amy Jewel! The prize goes to … me.’ She took a deep bow as the winner of the wager.

There were cheers and groans and lots of clapping, and George produced the prize bottle of bubbles.

‘Add a couple more bottles,’ said Mandy, handing George some money. ‘A glass for everyone.’

Only cheers were heard that time.

‘That’s the name she used to call her dolls when we were little,’ Mandy whispered in Nicole’s ear as she sat back down. Nicole laughed.

At the end of the night Nicole strolled back to the cottage alone. It was a beautiful evening, though cooler outside than she was expecting. The sky was oily black and the stars blinked brightly, sending secret coded messages to each other across the universe. Nicole breathed in the fresh, crisp air as a gentle breeze tugged at the loose tendrils of hair around her face. It still surprised her how different the air tasted here, so clean and light.

A rustle in the shadows of the streetlights made her jump.

‘Sorry.’ It was Danny. He was sitting in the gutter. ‘I didn’t mean to frighten you.’

Nicole relaxed. ‘Too much to drink?’

‘Not enough,’ he mumbled.

‘Isn’t tonight supposed to be about celebrating?’

‘For some.’ Danny stood up.

He didn’t wobble or stumble, so Nicole figured that he wasn’t drunk.

‘You’re right.’ He shook his head. ‘You’re right. Celebrate!’

‘Are you okay?’

‘Yep,’ he said. ‘Just being a miserable sod. Sorry.’

He strode off into the dark and Nicole continued on her way home, the happy glow of the night now a little dulled.

She’d never seen Danny look so miserable. And there was nothing about the night that she could tell that could have upset anyone. But then, as she knew well, no one really knew what went on behind people’s perfect facades.

August, Last Year

Large bunches of colourful blossoms adorned the kitchen bench and the dining table. It was Mark’s birthday, yet he was buying Nicky flowers. They were guilt flowers, she knew, for all the late nights he’d been putting in at the office. Still, they were beautiful.

Thankfully their weekend away was tomorrow. Just in time. They needed a chance to reconnect.