Jeannie laughed. It was an unpleasant sound. ‘Up and down? As in manic one day, depression the next? Alas, Maxie, I can’t be labelled so easily. Would that be better for you both, if you could pop me under that description, give me a handful of pills, file me under Old Mad Friend? Send me and my baby to some crackpot institution, so you don’t have to think about me again?’

They both stepped in, talking over each other. Of course not. They’d never abandon her. They loved her. She was their closest friend. They were worried about her. They wanted to help.

As quickly as her temper had risen, it went again. They heard the change in her voice. It became calm. Vulnerable. The gentlest version of the Jeannie they knew.

‘I’m sorry, Liv. I’m sorry, Maxie. I’m so scared. I don’t know if I can do this. But I don’t want to not do it. I mean, maybe it’s the best thing that could have happened to me. I love kittens and puppies. A baby is just a human version, isn’t it?’ She laughed softly. Genuinely. ‘I know it will be difficult, but I’ll try so hard to make it work. I’m not a career woman, not like you both. But I wanted you to know. I wanted to ask for help, if you want to give it to me. Not money, not that kind of help. Your support. Not out of loyalty, or guilt. I hoped you might think it’d be fun to be part of this little baby’s life.’

Olivia burst into tears. Self-possessed Olivia, crying so hard her nose started to run. Beside her, Maxie unexpectedly found herself blinking back tears too.

‘Are you both crying?’ Jeannie asked. ‘Oh, thank you so much. Thank you. I’ve done all my crying already. I’ve done nothing but cry about it for the past few weeks.’

‘Few weeks? So you haven’t just found out?’

‘No. It’s taken me this long to summon up the courage to tell you. To try to decide what to do. Who else to tell.’

‘Jeannie, you have to tell the father. He has to know.’

‘I have told him.’

‘And what did he say?’

‘Well, put it this way, congratulations wasn’t at the top of his list.’

‘Does he want to be involved?’ Olivia asked.

‘It’s his child too,’ Maxie added. ‘He chose to be in a relationship with you. He has to support you.’

‘He doesn’t quite see it that way. And I think calling it a “relationship” might be pushing things.’

‘What do you mean? Was it a one-night stand?’