Later...

Ssh... Joe is asleep. Bertie's curled up on the end of his bed, snoring louder than Martin ever could, but otherwise the house is wonderfully quiet.

I have a guest coming round. Seb lives in one of the cottages down the lane. He and Martin have become quite good friends over the last few months as they both keep animals and like the same things. I thought I was doing the seasonal thing by asking him over for a mince pie but now that it's dark and the candles are lit, it feels a bit too intimate. Maybe I should change out of this dress - oh God, he's here.

 









And Martin isn't.