Quite precisely then, my wife arrived home. The transponder dinged and its door slid open. She was clad in shopping clothes and walked in, said hello and started charging the groceries into the modpod.

“Need a hand?” I offered.

“No thanks doll, I’ll just have Gallifrey unload it. Where is he?”

“He’s out back,” I said. “Come take a look at this would you?”

She came out from the kitchen and took a look at the box. “Oh!” She exclaimed, “what is it?”

I handed her the pamphlet that came with the box. “I have no idea but I installed it and there it is.” I told her.

She read the manual, including the welcome letter that came with it, which I had not seen.

“It says that she is the proud new owner of a Nibbler, one out of a set of ten will be with her for every ten years until she is one hundred and ten years old and that she will never lack for comfort or ever be sick or ever be impoverished. That she will be part of an elite club of young people whom she will meet tomorrow and that is that.” She put the letter back on the table slowly, hands shaking. There was a long pause.

I blubbered out finally: “That’s fucking brilliant!” and hugged her.

Still speechless she muttered out the words: “One hundred and ten?”

Our eyes met. “One hundred and ten?” we said together and both started laughing.

Brixie arrived home from school an hour later. Still supported by the bus service, she was on a route that dropped her off right at the front door. We had been so excited about her gift that we had promptly forgotten the cake or the other presents that we had gotten her. Our dining room set off to one side, and that was where the big event was to take place. We had been in the living room, now seated on chairs, looking up at the wall unit and talking. Gallifrey had been in and out, I supposed he was going about his daily routine… Until the front door slid open and she walked in.