What do you think of the name Skipper? Holly had been home less than hour when Aidan texted. ‘Look at this,’ she said, showing Jemma her phone.

‘For a boy or a girl?’

‘He doesn’t say. Either, I suppose.’

‘Skipper could work,’ Jemma said, smiling.

Nice try, Holly thought. And Jemma had been trying, but it was clear her heart wasn’t in it. A restless discomfort had taken up residence in Holly’s belly. She didn’t want to have a baby with someone who was going through the motions. She wanted to have a baby with someone who was as keen as she was. Aidan was keen, perhaps too keen. Holly still wasn’t sure that an anonymous donor wasn’t the more sensible option. But his unbridled, genuine enthusiasm—in contrast to Jemma’s pantomime—was irresistible.

I love it, she texted back.

*

Finally, someone had paid in cash. Sergio had been waiting all night. Now all he had to do was wait for another table to place the same order—a bottle of house red and two pizzas—and he could transfer the check, and pocket the cash. He looked up to make sure his father wasn’t watching, and saw Katie walking out. She was crying.

His father appeared at the bar. ‘Table five’s wine is on the house,’ Mateo said. ‘And it’s coming out of your wages.’

‘What? Why?’ Sergio’s mind started running calculations. He would be short what he owed Kanal.

‘Why? Your latest hire, son, was the most useless waitress we have ever had, and this restaurant’s been open since your grandfather was your age.’

‘She’s not useless,’ Sergio said, more to defend his own competence, in hiring her, than Katie’s. ‘I just didn’t get the chance to train her. If you let me train her, I’m sure…’

Mateo made a noncommittal noise and walked away. It hurt Sergio that his father had sounded more weary than disappointed, as if resigned to Sergio’s failings. He waved one of the waitresses over and told her to mind the bar. Then he slipped out of the restaurant, into the rain, and found the door to the flats. He had no idea which bell was Katie’s, so he rang them all.

*

Katie came into the living room and sank onto the couch. ‘Did you hear that?’ she asked.

Katie had come home in tears. Then the bell had gone, and Angel had heard her talking to someone at the door. Ordinarily she’d have been curious, but she was too distracted. She had been sitting on the couch all night, not moving to put on a light, or make dinner.

‘Sergio came up to tell me, in person, that I’m not fired after all,’ Katie said. She was beaming, though her cheeks shined with tears.

‘That’s great,’ Angel said.

‘He stuck up for me. Do you think that means anything? Do you think it means he likes me?’

What simple little problems you have, Angel thought, though she knew it was unkind. It wasn’t Katie’s fault she was raised by nice, normal people. It wasn’t Katie’s fault her parents loved her unconditionally. Katie’s parents were kind, warm and generous. They didn’t insult her or criticise her. They wouldn’t dream of making threats and ultimatums, as Angel’s parents did routinely, as her father had earlier. ‘If you don’t come home to visit Mum,’ he’d said, ‘I’ll be forced to stop paying your rent.’

*

Erin woke in the morning to an empty bed. No Andy, no toddler feet digging into her back. Lifting her head from the pillow, she could hear faint laughter. She followed the sound to the living room, where Andy was throwing Archie in the air. Annie bounced on her toes, waiting for her turn. 

‘Did we wake you?’ Andy asked. He was a little out of breath.

‘No,’ Erin said. 

‘Good. I wanted you to have a little lie in.’

‘Again, Daddy,’ Archie demanded. Andy picked him up and threw him. Archie squealed with joy. 

‘Me turn, Daddy, me turn,’ Annie shouted. Andy bundled her into his arms for a cuddle.

Erin was struck by how happy they were in each other’s company. It was a beautiful sight: a father delighted by his children, the children delighted by him. But how long would it be, Erin wondered, until Andy noticed what was hiding in plain sight. The twins didn’t look like him at all, Holly had been right about that. They looked like his best friend.