The peaceful moment was broken by a groan of pain from Brooke. ‘Aww … my belly hurts,’ she said.

‘Ooh, I bet. Breastfeeding helps the uterus to contract back. After you’ve had a caesarean those contractions can be extra painful. You okay? Want me to find someone to bring you something for the pain?’

‘No, no, I’ll cope. Thank you, though. The baby likes your voice—it’s making her calm. Would you mind passing me some water?’

‘No worries.’ Paula poured a glass of water from the jug on the bedside table.

‘Thanks,’ said Brooke, taking the glass with her free hand. ‘Shit … sorry—am I holding you up? You’re here visiting someone?’

‘Oh yeah.’ Paula was uneasy, not wishing to tell any more lies than she had to. ‘I’m here to see a woman I’ve been worried about. I don’t need to rush off this second, though. Have you chosen a name yet?’

‘We talked about names ages ago, but now I’m thinking I like Ava. It means breath of life.’

‘That’s beautiful.’

Brooke pulled a goofy face. ‘Sorry, I’m blabbing on and you’re being so nice to me and I don’t even know your name. I’m Brooke.’

‘Paula.’

‘Well, thank you for being so nice.’

Then Brooke cooed to the baby, ‘Hello, baby Ava, I was spinning myself into a tizz until this lady turned up, wasn’t I?’

‘Will you have help when you go home?’ Paula heard her own voice coming out sounding normal, using the tone and wording she would use with any young new mother. There was nothing in Paula’s manner to indicate she had any particular agenda. ‘Have you got grandparents on hand?’

‘My parents’ve been amazing since everything went—’ Brooke stopped herself from finishing the sentence. ‘Mum and Dad want me to live with them.’

‘Oh terrific.’

Brooke’s breathing shivered with anxiety. ‘Nah, well, the baby’s dad wouldn’t like that.’ Then she pulled a grim face. ‘Not that he really wants the baby.’

‘Ah. Are you sure he doesn’t want her?’

‘Pretty sure.’ Brooke did a sharp impersonation of John Santino. ‘I don’t want that baby.’

‘I see. So does that mean he’ll—’

‘But he wouldn’t want to let us go either. I don’t know. Anyway …’ Brooke broke eye contact, sinking away from any connection with Paula.

Paula was tempted to fire out dozens of questions but she couldn’t risk pushing in a way that might make Brooke shut down.

The baby may have picked up the surge of stress through her mother’s body because she fell back from the nipple and started fussing and writhing. Brooke’s fragile confidence crumbled and she was on the edge of panic about how to help her whining baby.

‘I don’t know how to …’ she mumbled. ‘Could you, for a sec, could you … ?’