Ben stood up then sat down on the edge of the chair and stroked my head. ‘We both knew when we got married that this wasn’t going to be easy. I’ve got stuff I need to do, and so have you. It was you who pushed me to do it, remember? You told me to take the gig with Griff and he was the one who introduced me to the band. You’ve opened something up inside of me that I could never quite get to before. You’ve given me the strength and courage to start living a life.’

I listened intently. Was it possible that I could have influenced something good?

‘For God’s sake. This is impossible,’ came Eve’s voice as she threw down the fairy lights and stood up. ‘Hey, you two, there’s a lot to be said about getting married so soon after meeting. You’re both still so polite and giving. Not wanting to upset the other one. All supportive and nice. You make me sick.’ Eve gave a theatrical smile.

‘Not the psychobabble stuff again, Eve,’ Ben said in a mock whine.

‘Hey listen, pumpkin.’ Eve flicked her vibrant, red, bobbed hair. She stood over Ben and pointed a long manicured red nail at him. ‘If I was going to psychobabble you, as you so articulately put it, then you would know about it. I was merely making a simple observation. We’re all psychologists anyway, Ben. We constantly assess and analyse situations and people. It’s natural.’ She turned on her heel and walked out of the door. ‘It’s called being human.’

‘Anyway.’ He rubbed his hand over his face. It looked like I wasn’t the only one who didn’t sleep well. Last night his mumbling in his sleep had become irritating. I was struggling to sleep as it was, but Ben’s restlessness probably kept me awake for longer than necessary. He took my hands in his; they felt cool and soft. ‘I won’t leave until after Christmas. I need to do a short stint in London and then I’ll come back. I will miss your birthday but we can celebrate when I get back, and then I will have to go – and that reminds me…’ Ben took out his Blackberry and added another note to his calendar. It was still so strange to me to see him suddenly using a device so often these last few weeks, and one that did so much admin for him, when he was such an old soul, always writing lyrics in a notebook.

He tapped away in the notes. ‘Need to go to the music shop and get one of these mini disc players, have you heard of them? I can record all the songs onto it and it will help me learn them.’ Ben spoke slowly as he typed, then he shoved the phone back into his pocket and put his arm around me.

‘You’ll be glad to have me out of your hair while you do all your nesting and stuff,’ he said.