We were leaving the rugby club, one evening not long after we’d met, and were saying a rather stilted goodnight in the car park when he’d presented me with the surprise. It was shortly after we’d consummated our relationship but Mitch wanted to show his hand, make sure that I was in no doubt as to his intentions. I set the charm on my dressing table that night and kept checking it was there. It was like eternal proof of his commitment. I hung it on a fine gold chain around my neck, where it stayed until he produced the gold heart one year later.

I decided to surprise Mitch around seven o’clock. He’d told me he was staying in to catch up on some marking and would phone me before supper. The following night, Thursday, he’d booked tickets for the cinema to see Million Dollar Baby. Mitch had no idea what the movie was about but the title appealed to his sense of romance.

I dug out an old picnic hamper from the back of my wardrobe. It had been a whimsical present from my parents on my eighteenth birthday. I had fancy notions of picnics on Hampstead Heath or taking it with me, crammed full of goodies, to concerts at Kenwood House.

The melamine plates and plastic champagne flutes were neatly strapped to the wicker basket and I packed some serviettes alongside. I left the food in the fridge until after my bath and decided I’d leave around six thirty. This was early enough to be confident that Mitch wouldn’t have already been tempted to pop out for fish and chips. He never ate before seven, always determined not to be starving again by bedtime and tempted to snack.

I turned the music up loud, left the bathroom door ajar, and sank into melancholic oblivion for what seemed an eternity. I closed my eyes, relaxing to Wet Wet Wet and hummed along to ‘Love is All Around’.

I sank under the bubbles, held my breath and let the warmth saturate my senses. For me, the meaning of life was Mitch. It always had been, since we first met, and now we were going to be together forever. Finally, everything was right with the world.

As I buckled up the hamper, my stomach churned and somersaulted in anticipation. I told myself it was excitement at surprising my boyfriend, a nervous sickness brought on by the depths of our passion. But there was a nagging doubt, a baseless anxiety which needled. Perhaps it would always be there but as I prepared to leave, I ignored the warning. Nothing would spoil the moment.