Page 60 of The Happy Family

I decide to pick up Jude and carry him to the door while we wave off the rest of our family, wanting to make this wholesome morning even better, and as I reach the door with my wriggling, giggling son in my arms, I see Reid flashing me a happy smile. He’s clearly enjoyed the start to this day as much as I have and this feels like we have finally turned the corner on a tumultuous past and brighter days are ahead.

They certainly will be when we get abroad and step off the plane into that sunshine.

‘Have a great day, guys,’ I say to Arthur and Ruby, and they both give me a wave before running to Reid’s car and getting into the backseat. ‘And have a great day too, my handsome, hardworking man.’

I give Reid a kiss, as well as a cheeky squeeze of the bum through his suit trousers, and he laughs before he follows the kids to the car and gets in behind the wheel, telling me that he loves me as he goes.

I give Jude a kiss on the head as we watch them drive away, and then I close the door and let out a slow, satisfied sigh.

That was brilliant. I just hope the rest of the day goes as well as it has started.

I decide to ride the wave of momentum that has come from such a positive morning by getting some house chores done, leaving Jude to enjoy his inclined baby bouncer while I dust, hoover and put the washing machine to good use.

I’m working quickly through my domestic to-do list when I’m interrupted by a knock at the door. I expect it will be a delivery driver dropping off some of the things I ordered online yesterday for our holiday. I’ve been stocking up on suncream, so it’s probably more of that on the way. But when I answer the door, I don’t see anybody looking to hand me a parcel.

I see Sadie.

‘Hello,’ she says, a sheepish smile on her face that seems disarming, but I’m still feeling on alert as to why she is here.

‘Oh, hi,’ I reply before mentioning something that I presume she doesn’t know. ‘Reid and the children are not home at the moment.’

‘I know. I’m here to see you.’

‘Me? Why?’

‘Can I come in?’

Sadie still looks unassuming enough, wrapped in a thick winter coat and with a woolly hat pulled over her head. But despite her angelic appearance, I’m still not keen on having her here.

‘Is everything okay?’ I ask, wanting to make sure before I do step aside so she can enter my home. The home that I purposely wanted to move to because it was further away from Sadie. Yet here she is, having turned up anyway. I guess Reid gave her the address at some point, which makes sense because she has a right to know where her children are living. But I didn’t expect her to ever visit, and certainly not when those children were elsewhere.

‘Everything’s fine,’ Sadie replies. ‘I’ve just got an idea for a Christmas present for Ruby that I want to discuss with you.’

‘With me?’

‘Yeah, I think it’s better discussing this with another woman rather than with Reid.’

‘Oh, I see.’

There isn’t really a good reason why I could turn Sadie away, not without it seeming strange on my part, so I smile and open the door wider.

‘Please, come in.’

‘Thank you,’ Sadie says as she steps inside, and while I wish this wasn’t happening, I guess it is a sign that there is no such thing as a truly perfect day. Things might have gone amazingly well so far, but I can’t have it all. I guess the price to pay for the nice morning is having to negotiate a conversation with this woman. But what have I got to fear? Sadie has been no trouble for me ever since that night we fought back in the previous house. So as I close the door and ask her if she would like a cup of tea, I’m not expecting any trouble now.

I should be right to think that.

Shouldn’t I?

FORTY-ONE

SADIE

‘This is a lovely house,’ I say as I admire the parts of it that I am getting to see as Luna shows me into her kitchen.

‘Thank you,’ she replies as amongst the fine furnishings and gleaming pots and pans in here, I spot the baby in the bouncer.

‘Hello, Jude,’ I say, approaching the happy little boy who stares up at me with wide eyes. ‘Are you being a good boy for your mummy?’