She looked at me for a few seconds and for a moment I knew she was analysing me, the way she liked to sometimes. ‘You okay? How you feeling?’

‘Tired. Fat.’

I looked down at my feet. I shifted my weight onto my left leg and then back again.

‘Come on, Daze, you’re still beautiful, even more so because you’re going to be a mummy!’ Eve looked at me like a wide-eyed child.

Why was Ben taking so long? Then he was there.

‘Ahh my husband!’ I said with too much emphasis as Ben wandered down the hallway towards me, his head down and his shoulders hunched.

I looked at Eve, she shrugged her shoulders.

‘You okay, babe?’ My hand found its way to Ben’s shoulder.

‘Me, yeah, I’m fine.’

I knew he wasn’t. On top of his apparent aversion towards ‘the most wonderful time of the year’, Ben was also going to break the news to Annie that he had a proper job. His first proper job by all accounts, and that he would be leaving to work away to record an album with an up-and-coming band. It was the sort of news a parent should have been thrilled about, but he was dreading having to deliver it to Annie. I guess Ben felt he had surprised his mum so much already what with moving out, marrying me and now the baby, that one more blow like moving away for months might actually tip her over the edge.

Eve pushed herself away from the wall, her hands cupped around her tea. She kissed me on the cheek and added one of her ‘I know you’ looks for extra value. I opened the door and the cold air hit my face.

‘Just call me. Anytime, you want to talk about… you know, anything.’ Eve put her hand on my back and kept it there for a few seconds. I blinked back the tears that must have been brought on by the icy breeze.

‘Have a wonderful Christmas Day, you two. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow.’ Eve stood, waving enthusiastically.

I picked up the Christmas-themed paper bag that was leant against the wall and we both headed outside. I looked back at Eve who winked at me and I blew her a kiss with my gloved hand.

‘Patrick round later?’ I said.

‘Oh yeah, baby, you bet ya!’ Eve said, laughing as she flashed me her red lacy negligee which matched her vibrant, neatly bobbed hair, before she closed the door.

We stepped into my Renault Clio, looked at the frost-infested windscreen and then at one another. We let out synchronised sighs and, armed with ice scrapers, we got out and set about clearing the windscreen. We each stood on our side of the car and began removing the ice. I looked at Ben who looked back and each time the smile grew larger across his lips, until eventually we were laughing and flicking bits of ice at each other. I hoped that any passers-by or neighbours who might haven stolen a look out of their window, would see a cute goofy couple and perhaps they would feel a pang of jealousy at the young man and woman who were hopelessly and madly in love on Christmas morning.