‘You know it isn’t just you,’ he said, perhaps a little more harshly than he intended, since he looked a bit sheepish as he turned to her. ‘I get judged too. You don’t think the men question me about when I’m going to go back to work, because surely I’m only doing this for a few weeks, as I can’t want to do it for ever. I know what they think, Laura. That being a stay-at-home dad is second to going out and earning the money – because that’s what men should be doing. I get judged as well; but I don’t let it get to me all the time, like you do.’

‘You never said anything.’

‘I know. Because I don’t let it bother me. Because all that’s important is you, me and Bobby, and doing what’s right for us as a family.’

‘And this is what’s right?’

‘Of course.’ He gave a sideways glance. ‘Don’t you think so?’

Laura shrugged. ‘You didn’t tell me your boss had been in touch.’

‘It was nothing. He called earlier this week and ran an idea by me. Asked if I’d consider doing some work from home. We didn’t agree to anything.’

‘And? Do you want to?’

‘I don’t know. I mean we’d need to make sure it fits in with taking care of Bobby, but I guess it could be good.’

Laura sighed and turned to look out of the passenger window.

‘What is it?’ Nate asked.

‘Nothing’s as I expected it would be,’ she admitted, willing the tears not to spring to her eyes as they threatened to do. ‘I thought going back to Morris & Wood would feel the same as before, but it doesn’t. I don’t feel like I have a place there.’

‘Laura, it’s bound to feel odd. You have a baby, you’re a mum. Life’s changed.’

She shook her head. ‘It’s not that,’ she said in a tight whisper. ‘It’s not got anything to do with being a mum. I feel like …’ She drifted off without finishing the sentence.

‘Like what?

‘Like I’ve been replaced. By someone younger, who’s not doing the job any better than I am, except that everyone else thinks she is.’

‘Laura, you need to let this go,’ Nate said.

She turned to him sharply.

‘You’ve still got a massive job that’s taking up most hours of the day as it is,’ he went on. ‘We barely see you all week. Maybe Harry’s done the right thing and given you some space. I can’t even imagine when you’ll get home, if you get Coopers back. Laura, maybe you need to accept that this is the way it should be for now.’