‘What?’ Sol asked, incredulous. ‘You’re not serious?’

‘Of course I am!’ she said, laughing, in a bid to hide the hurt incurred by his question. ‘Here’s one we made earlier. Why wouldn’t you want another?’ And she kissed Romy on the head, as if to prove her point. Romy snuffled sleepily in response.

‘You talk about it as if you’re thinking of getting a new car!’ Sol replied angrily.

‘I’ve been wanting to discuss it for a long time. I just didn’t know when.’

‘Well, let’s not talk about it now, eh?’ he said, evidently calming himself and firmly shutting down the conversation.

‘It’s OK, Sol, she’s asleep – and even if she wasn’t, she couldn’t understand what you’re saying!’ Her tone was unintentionally patronizing.

‘I know, but … now’s not the time.’

‘To discuss it, or to have another baby?’ she challenged him.

He sighed and went over to her, encircling mother and daughter in a big, loving hug. ‘Babe, you know how I feel. We’ve got our beautiful girl,’ he whispered, kissing the top of Cat’s hair. ‘She’s our treasure. We don’t need any more treasure. Don’t be greedy.’

This infuriated her. ‘Greedy? You think wanting another child is greedy?’

‘Please, Cat,’ he pleaded, clearly regretting his choice of words. ‘I can’t see you go through all that again. I can’t see myself go through all that again.’

She’d expected this reaction, of course.

‘I’ll put her down, and then we can discuss it properly,’ she said, and headed upstairs with Romy.

She heard Sol sigh as she left the room, ignoring him when he called after her, ‘There’s no point! I’m not going to change my mind.’

When she came back downstairs half an hour later, she’d steeled herself, ready for battle. But Sol was wired too. Whilst she’d been gone, he’d obviously had time to think.

‘Cat,’ he said, and she could tell he was trying to stay calm. ‘I cannot, I will not, repeat that whole process. There is nothing in it for us, except heartache and disappointment …’ There were tears in his voice now, panic, ‘… and a relentless fucking sense of failure. We’re not doing it, OK?’

She knew she was being selfish, but she carried on regardless. ‘I’m sorry, Sol, really I am. But I have to try. And I’ll do it with or without your support.’

Silence hit the room with a sledgehammer.

‘What?’

‘I’ve got the funds, I’ve been saving …’

‘The funds? What the hell are you talking about?’

‘For IVF. I’ve been saving.’ She smiled at him. ‘I mean I know we had Romy naturally but let’s face it, the chances of that happening again are zilch, so I think we should try for IVF again.’

Sol stared at her aghast. ‘Have you actually lost your mind?’

‘I’ve got the first appointment with Dr Hartland next week.’

As if on cue, Romy started crying upstairs whilst Catrin’s phone began buzzing, a loud and insistent cacophony, interrupting the brewing row.