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“I made your favourite leek and pancetta quiche for you,” Martin said. “I thought—”

Lucy didn’t get to find out what her father thought as bile rose in her throat and she sprinted to the downstairs cloakroom, only just making it there in time to be sick.

* * *

“Well, that definitely could have gone worse,” said Lucy, waving back to her parents as they drove off. What a truly bizarre day. Who would have thought that she’d ever be introducing Dylan to her parents as the father of her unborn child? That one definitely hadn’t been on her bingo card, and yet she felt strangely at peace with what was going on.

“Yeah, it was sweet how excited your mum was, in particular,” Dylan said. “She’s going to be a great grandma.”

“She is. Thank you for coming, I think it really helped that you were there and they could get to know you a little bit. It also helped that you charmed them completely and let my dad have a go driving your fancy car.”

“He was interested in it and I thought it might be good for you and your mum to have a little time, just the two of you.”

He was a good driver, Lucy acknowledged, as he exited a large roundabout.

“It was. I know it’s strange for both of them, and they’re going to be worried about me. Especially because it’s not like they can pop in to check on me easily. I’m sure it’s not how they envisaged me telling them they were going to have a grandchild, and it was so awkward having to explain that we’re not a couple, but you went above and beyond.”

“I had fun,” Dylan said. “I liked seeing where you grew up, and all the photos of you all around. They’re so proud of you.”

“I kind of wish my mum hadn’t felt the need to show you quite so many embarrassing pictures of me.”

“Your teenage goth phase ones were my favourite. That’s something I wasn’t expecting.”

“My poor parents, I don’t think I smiled for about a year,” Lucy laughed.

“How’s the nausea now?” Dylan asked.

“I’m not too bad. I felt terrible that Dad’s quiche set me off again. It must have taken him ages to make it.”

“You did make a very dramatic exit,” Dylan said.

The rhythmic movement of the car meant Lucy soon fell asleep. The next thing she knew, she was woken by Dylan gently saying, “Lucy? We’re home.”

She forced herself fully awake. She checked for nausea — surprisingly good. “We are? I must have been asleep for hours.”

“Yes,” Dylan laughed. “We hit a bit of traffic so the journey back took a little longer than it should have.”

“Thank you,” Lucy said, stretching. “I’m sorry I was so antisocial again.”

“It’s fine. I liked that you felt comfortable enough to fall asleep in the car while I was driving.”

“In honesty, there’s not a lot I could have done to stop myself.”

Dylan shrugged, “I liked it anyway. You’re cute when you’re asleep.”

Lucy scoffed. “I think you just enjoyed the quiet.”

“That as well.”

They got out of the car. It was very dark in the alleyway behind the shops where they were parked and they both turned on their phone torches.

“Come up to mine, and I’ll make us something for dinner,” said Dylan. “You’ve barely eaten anything all day.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll sort myself out with something,” Lucy said.

“I’m going to be cooking for myself anyway,” Dylan said. “And I suspect you’ll end up just making yourself a bowl of cereal.”

“Eww, milk,” Lucy groaned.