She looked at the scan picture on the fridge for the hundredth time. How happy she felt! Happy! She decided to make a supreme effort for bedtime, to really clean her teeth: floss, mouthwash, the lot, and to shower before applying a little of her precious scent, usually saved for special occasions. And in truth, if this wasn’t a special occasion, she didn’t know what was. Maybe she’d put on her fancy lacy nightie before she told Mario exactly how she felt about him and opened the dialogue that meant she could finally tell him of the things she had kept hidden, the secrets that burdened her every waking moment. The thought of it didn’t faze her now, quite the opposite.

The outline of the little one on the scan was quite distinct, the shape of the back of his head and a little nose standing proud, the curve of a tummy. Gigi was a woman she couldn’t picture, had not met and yet she was hosting this precious child. Bess sent love to her out across the darkness, looking forward to the day she could look her in the eye and tell her how remarkable she thought she was, giving the whole family, but especially Jake and Daniel, this most incredible of gifts. She closed her eyes and took a moment.

The greatest gift . . .

‘Mario Jack, of all the crazy families you could pick . . . You will be so loved, little one. So very much loved.’

‘Who are you talking to?’ came a voice beside her.

‘The baby. It’s such a wonderful thing Gigi’s doing.’ She turned to smile at her husband, only for her face to fall at the sight of the newly bare orchid in his hands. Guilt filled her stomach, washing away the joy, as she and Mario stared together at the plant, no more than stalks now, sticking up from the fuchsia-coloured pot.

‘I found this in the bin.’

She heard the bite of recrimination in his tone and her response sounded weak and apologetic, flustered as she was at the sight of the sorry-looking plant in his hands.

‘Oh, all the flowers dropped off. One came away in my hand when I unwrapped it this morning and by the time I got to it this afternoon it was just stalks. I didn’t know what to do with it.’