What have I let myself in for? she thinks to herself. But she can’t help but smile.

66

Robin stands outside the blue-painted front door and presses the bell. He has a present in his hand, wrapped in light yellow paper. It has teddy bears on it. Inside the house, he can hear the faint sound of a baby crying.

The door opens and Liv stands there, the chubby baby in her arms screaming blue murder.

‘Come in, come in,’ she says, and goes back into the living room, slumping onto the sofa.

He follows her through, moving a pile of baby clothes off one of the chairs and sitting down. Liv’s normally pristine house is a complete mess, every surface covered, discarded glasses and mugs strewn around.

‘How are you doing, Liv?’ Robin asks over the noise of the screaming.

Liv herself is equally dishevelled, hair tied roughly back from her face, a line of something white and curdling down her shoulder. But she smiles widely, her eyes bright.

‘Fucking knackered,’ she replies. ‘This one feeds on the hour, every hour. Doesn’t care whether it’s night-time or not.’ She reaches up and undoes her top, then expertly pushes the baby towards her breast. Robin tries hard to focus on her face. ‘But we’re good, aren’t we, Lucas?’

‘Lucas? That’s a lovely name,’ Robin replies. He offers his present. ‘I got you something. Or rather, for Lucas.’

‘Thank you. I’ll open it later, if you don’t mind. Got my hands full.’

‘Course.’

They sit in silence for a moment, the baby sucking happily on Liv’s breast. Robin debates making his excuses. He’s not sure why he’s here, except for the fact that Liv had texted him, inviting him over.

‘Robin,’ she begins. ‘I wanted to thank you. For everything you did when he was born.’

Inwardly, Robin sighs with relief. Liv has always been unpredictable. But this? This is fine.

‘I… I don’t know,’ she continues. ‘I panicked. I don’t know what I would have done without you there.’

‘I didn’t mind, Liv. It was quite an experience.’

‘I bet!’ she laughs. ‘When you woke up that morning, you hadn’t expected to watch someone be cut open and a baby pulled out.’

‘A lot of things I’d never expected have happened recently. Seeing Lucas here being born is probably the best.’

‘Well, good.’ Then a look passes across Liv’s face that he can’t interpret. ‘Listen. There’s something you should know.’

‘What?’ he asks, warily.

Liv points to the bookshelf at the side of the room. ‘Over there, in the small blue pot.’

Robin gets up slowly and goes across. He looks to where she’s pointing and finds a light blue ceramic jar.

‘Inside,’ Liv says.