Janie dipped into the dining room and went over to the sofa in the corner, where the girls had been watching TV before school that morning; and sure enough, there he was, balancing precariously on one arm. She positioned him in front of the cushions, took a photo and sent it to Ella with a message that read: Blue Ted’s perfectly happy watching TV. Love you and miss you both xx.

She waited to check it was sent, hovering over the phone until a message came back from Ella to say thanks, and that they loved her too. Janie smiled as she read it, looking up sharply as a car came up the driveway far more quickly than she thought appropriate; and as she moved towards the window, she pinched back the curtains with one finger. It was Laura’s car, now pulling to a halt by the fence, the door swinging wide open as the engine was switched off. Laura climbed out, wearing dark jeans and a grey blazer. Smart as she looked, she was underdressed for the party, in comparison to the other guests.

Janie let the curtain flutter back into place, but could just about still see Laura as she closed the car door and then stood rooted to the spot in the middle of their driveway, staring at the house. Laura’s eyes drifted up to Janie and Harry’s bedroom above, before dropping down again and finally landing on the front door.

Janie waited for Nate to join Laura. She peered into the car as best she could from her vantage point, but there was no sign of Laura’s husband. She couldn’t think of a time when Laura hadn’t brought him, though perhaps there was a problem with childcare. Maybe Janie should have gone to the effort of telling Laura she could have brought the baby.

She moved away from the window as Laura disappeared from sight and the doorbell rang, though by the time Janie reached the doorway to the hall, Harry had beaten her to it. The one time her husband had appeared to greet a guest and, although Janie was sure he couldn’t have had any idea it was Laura, it felt a little too convenient.

Janie slunk behind the dining-room door as he let her in, and listened to his overenthusiastic welcome as he ushered her inside. ‘No Nate tonight?’ he asked.

‘No.’ A pause and then another. ‘No. We couldn’t get anyone to babysit so …’ She let the end of the sentence hang.

‘Oh. Shame,’ Harry said, in a manner that didn’t sound remotely genuine to Janie as he went on, more enthusiastically, ‘but at least you’re here. Come on through, let me get you a drink.’

‘Thanks. White wine, please,’ Laura replied. Janie glanced back at the car parked haphazardly on their driveway and wondered if Laura had already had one.