“I didn’t like to. Why? You didn’t see anything, did you?”

She shakes her head. “You can’t always tell, and as soon as I mentioned I was a nurse she tilted the screen away. Did you notice?”

Catherine slows down to let a woman with a pram cut in front of the car. “Anyway, I think you’re probably right about it being a girl. I certainly didn’t see anything that looked remotely like a penis.”

I laugh. “I could just about recognize the head and the arms, to be honest.”

It feels good to be laughing with her like this. I’m so glad she came with me.

“Shall we stop off for a celebratory coffee and cake somewhere?” she says. “My treat. And you can tell me what names you both like.”

“Give me the chance to talk to her, Ross,” she’d pleaded. “It’ll be the perfect opportunity for the two of us to really bond.”

Christ knows what she’d have done if I hadn’t agreed. When she rang my phone and impersonated Lucy on reception, I almost grew a pair and said, “Sorry, but I really can’t miss Lizzie’s scan. You’ll have to ask Andrew Smethers if he can go in my place.”

But I’d have paid for it later. I always did.

It used to be worth it because of what came after. Let’s just say, Catherine’s requirements in bed were far from vanilla-flavored and I enjoyed the temporary illusion of being the one in control.

But things were running away with me now. It was like I’d stepped onto a moving walkway and the only way off was to keep going until I reached the end.

The trouble was, I no longer knew what the end looked like.

39

“Poppy Murray,” Catherine says, savoring the name I’ve just suggested. It’s one of the ones I’ve been considering for the last few weeks. “That sounds nice. I like it.”

We’re sitting on the same leather sofa in the bookshop café where we sat before. Only this time, we’ve got a selection of baby-name books spread out on the low table in front of us.

“So do I. But what if she grows up to be an engineer or an accountant? Ross thinks her name won’t sound sensible enough.”

“Hmm. He may be right. ‘Poppy’ definitely veers toward the whimsical.” She picks up one of the books and turns to the index. “What about Evie? That’s a pretty name. And she can always call herself Eve if she turns out to be the serious, earnest sort.”