Page 74 of All Yours

‘Isabella’s running late,’ Amber said a few days later, putting her phone down. ‘Got an emergency meeting with the wedding florist.’ She flopped into the armchair and helped herself to a biscuit from Robyn’s coffee table. And then another.

‘How’re things going for the unemployed?’ Wren asked, sitting on Robyn’s sofa, supping a large decaf and rubbing her bump.

‘Yes, what have you been up to since we last saw you at yoga?’ Rosie asked, from her spot on the floor with Willow.

Robyn smiled at the thought of her yoga class the morning after her Monopoly night. Halfway into happy baby pose, lying on her back and grasping her feet, she’d had a flashback so vivid of Fox holding her ankles on his shoulders as he entered her that she’d groaned out loud.

‘If it’s too much for you, just relax the pose,’ the instructor had immediately said. But it wasn’t pain that made her moan, it was pure, unadulterated pleasure. Her body felt different that morning. She moved easily through the exercises, feeling the sublime ache in certain muscles, but any tension had been blown away the night before. She felt alive in her skin, strong in herself, satisfied completely. Never had she had such good sex in her entire life. Well, not since the last time she’d had sex with Fox anyway.

She’d remembered it as being good when they met last year. But all her memories seemed like black and white photographs when the real thing was a technicolour explosion. She’d seen stars, literally. A whole meteor shower of them.

‘All sorts,’ Robyn said, blowing the steam from her mint tea. ‘The florist I made those few decorations for put in a second order for seasonal wreaths. The first ones sold out in a week! I’m taking the prototypes on the table there this afternoon for approval. I’ve been busier than ever, actually.’

It was true. Her days had been full of baby meet-ups in the day, or forest school for the boys in the lunch hour, or collecting foliage to try out new wreaths. She’d even spent some time at the boys’ den, strengthening the roof structure, adding some decorations and mending the swing with a well-tested, sturdy rope. Then by night, she’d worked her way through her chest of board games with Fox. Monopoly without money the first night, which set the scene. Tuesday was all about snakes and ladders, with Fox’s snake being the main attraction. Wednesday they played Cluedo, which ended up in a bit of role play between Colonel Mustard and Miss Scarlet that definitely included a hard pole in the living room. Tonight, she was planning on Operation. Doctors and nurses had never sounded so good. She sipped her tea, hoping the refreshing mint might keep her mind on track.

‘And they’ve asked me to do a wreath-making workshop in the shop next week on Wednesday afternoon,’ Robyn said. ‘So, I’m scouring the common and the riverbanks every day to see where I can source interesting foliage and berries.’

‘Ooh, I’ll see if I can come to that,’ Amber said. ‘Would be nice to have a wreath on the front door this year, our first Christmas with Alex.’ She hugged her cappuccino cup happily.

‘We’ll come too,’ said Wren. ‘As long as I can do it sitting down.’ Wren really was fit to bursting. Robyn could still remember that full feeling of the last few weeks, when Willow was getting too big to move around much, but would send out nudges or kicks which showed on the outside of her belly.

‘Or thinking about it, Rosie could make the wreaths and I could keep an eye on Willow for you,’ Wren said.

‘Thanks,’ Robyn replied, blowing Wren a kiss. ‘That would be really helpful.’ It was nice to have these women around her. Supportive mothers, a new type of girl gang for her.

‘You’re enjoying a break from nannying then?’ Amber said.

‘More than you can imagine,’ Robyn replied, an image of Colonel Mustard twiddling a fake moustache at her the night before popping into her mind.

‘Fox was a good boss, though, wasn’t he?’ Wren asked.

Robyn considered her words. ‘He was great. He’s funny, kind . . .’ – she saw Wren raise an eyebrow and cut her off before she could butt in – ‘and very professional.’

‘I heard from Alex that Fox is swimming every morning,’ Amber whispered. ‘Did you see him in his trunks?’

And out of them too, Robyn thought, as she shook her head.

‘I think personally that would be a good look for him,’ Amber continued. ‘Don’t get me wrong, Alex is my dream guy, but Fox has this wood-chopping, lumberjack thing going on . . .’ Robyn thought about just how manly Fox had been the night before, as he’d scooped her off her feet and carried her to the bedroom.

Wren laughed. ‘And that silver-black beard always looks so distinctive. And I’m not even into men.’ Robyn thought for a second about telling the girls what that stubble felt like as it grazed her inner thighs.

‘And I don’t know what he wears for cologne, but that man smells good!’ Rosie fanned herself. Sandalwood, Robyn thought, thinking how it scented his skin from jaw to chest when she put her face to it. She shook herself, feeling a flush blooming on her cheeks.

The three women all stared at her, awaiting a reaction. Robyn shrugged and sipped her tea.

‘Sorry. I never saw him in his trunks,’ she said, to their chorus of disappointed groans. She laughed, trying to picture their faces if she told them she’d seen him completely naked.

‘I wonder if he’s met that woman in his office for a drink yet?’ Wren asked. ‘You know, the one who he said was interested.’ Robyn’s ears pricked up, confused. She hadn’t heard anything about this.

‘Could have done,’ Amber said. ‘Alex did say he’s been absent on the Brothers from Another Mother group chat for the last few evenings. Maybe he’s been out getting lucky!’

Rosie and Wren raised their eyebrows at each other hopefully and Robyn felt a swell of relief. He definitely was getting lucky – but with her.

‘Good luck to him, I say,’ Rosie said. ‘Fox deserves happiness, if he ever lets himself have it.’

Robyn’s interest was piqued.

‘Do you think he’s still holding on to Meg then?’ she asked and Rosie shrugged in response.