‘I don’t mind. Whatever you’re having.’

‘My mum made me some ginger beer – I find it helps with the sickness. That do?’

‘Yeh, that’s great.’

We went out into the garden, which was in a marginally better state than ours had been when we first moved in. It was long and narrow, enclosed on all sides by a high wooden fence, with a tall wrought-iron gate at the bottom. The paved area outside the back door was strewn with weeds, as were the borders. But there was a decent-sized lawn for Alfie to play on.

I let Jobie off the lead and Lucy and I sat at the moss-covered wooden table on the patio, sipping our drinks as we watched Alfie climb onto his plastic sit-on tractor and chase the excited dog up and down.

‘My hubby’s not much of a gardener,’ Lucy said, almost apologetically. ‘He inherited this place from his nan, so you’d have thought he’d show a bit more interest. He cuts the grass now and again, but he’s not really bothered about planting anything. We lost my dad a couple of years ago. He used to come round and do it for us, but now he’s gone we’ve let it go a bit, I’m afraid. I just don’t have the time with Alfie.’

‘Sorry to hear about your dad. It’s hard work with a toddler, though. Your priorities are different when you’ve got small children.’

‘Eddie’s priorities revolve around going to the pub and playing bloody darts, or whatever it is he gets up to with his mates. He’s out most nights. It’s like living with a lodger.’ She gave a sigh of resignation, staring down at the glass, which she was rotating on the table in front of her. ‘What about your fella? Is he handy round the house?’

‘Jack does try, but I don’t expect him to feel much like doing anything after work as he puts in such long hours at the surgery – did I mention he’s a vet?’

‘No. Oh, well at least he’s got a decent job. I used to do the admin for a small construction firm in town, but the company folded and there was no job to go back to after my maternity leave – and then of course I fell pregnant again. I’ve felt pretty rough this time around as well, so I’m having an extended break right now!’ She laughed, stroking her bump. ‘Eddie’s only doing some casual work at the moment, on a building site just outside the town. Brings home the bacon, I suppose, but it’s not exactly the career he dreamed of. But if he’d worked a bit harder at school, he might’ve finished up doing something more exciting. Probably why he’s so keen to go and drown his sorrows.’