Page 38 of The Baby Plan

“Wow! It’s brilliant!” Sophie put the mugs down on her new desk and gave Samson and Alana a hug. “Thank you both very much. It’s very thoughtful of you. It will be so good to have somewhere I can spread out my work and not have to worry about cleaning it up all the time.”

“To be honest, it was all me,” Samson said. “Alana was frankly no help at all. It turns out she’s rubbish at moving around furniture.”

“Well, thank you then,” said Sophie. “Let me take Trouble for a while so you can get started on work. We can swap in a couple of hours.”

“Nah, you have the first turn. I can send a few emails from my phone while I watch her. Get it set up as you’d like, and then you can tell me if there’s anything you need or you want me to change around.”

“OK, thanks. Oh, I spoke to the social worker who’s been assigned to Alana while I was downstairs. She’d like to come to meet you and see Alana later, at four,” Sophie said, suddenly wondering if she should have checked with Samson before making the appointment. She knew he was planning to be at home, but it was his house. Was it all right for her to invite anyone over without checking first? “Sorry, I should have asked you first...”

“Don’t be daft, it’s fine. Should I be scared though?” Samson asked.

“No, she’s lovely, but I should probably have a tidy round...”

“I’ll make a start downstairs now.”

“Seriously?”

“Of course, we want the place nice when this woman comes. Team Alana, remember?”

“That would be amazing. I’ll take over at eleven?”

“Right ho, see you in a bit then. Shout if you want a coffee and help yourself to anything you need in here.”

Sophie brought her laptop and paperwork through to the office and set up her desk. It might be a bit weird being directly in front of Samson if they were both working in there, but that was something she’d have to get used to. It would be much easier for her to concentrate with a proper base, and so thoughtful of Samson to give up some more of his space for her. He’d turned out to be so, so different to what she’d assumed. He was kind, decent and tried his very best for Alana. And despite their rocky start, with everything he’d done and did every day for her, she felt like he was making room in his home and life for them both.

When she had the security of her guardianship being made official, they could hash out the details of a permanent arrangement to bring up Alana together.

* * *

The doorbell rang soon after four while Sophie was changing Alana’s nappy, and she heard Samson greet Yvonne. By the time Sophie and her niece came downstairs, it was clear Samson had well and truly charmed Yvonne. They were sat in the garden like two old friends enjoying a catch-up over a cuppa.

“Sophie! Hello again,” said Yvonne, warmly. “And Alana, how are you, sweetheart?”

She was rewarded with one of the baby’s most endearing smiles.

“Samson’s been filling me in on Alana. It sounds like things are going well,” Yvonne said, checking her notes.

“Yes,” said Sophie, sitting down to join them. “It’s certainly much easier looking after a baby when you’ve got another adult around.”

“Now, Samson, your name isn’t on Alana’s birth certificate...” confirmed Yvonne.

“No,” Samson said. “I was only told about her the day before her mother died.”

Sophie felt a rush of sympathy for him being questioned by a stranger about this very painful subject.

“I see...” continued the social worker. “That does make things rather complicated. You had no relationship with your daughter until very recently, and there’s no proof you are her father as yet. I suppose the first thing to do would be to organise a paternity test.”

“I’m happy to do that,” said Samson.

“Are you planning to apply for joint parental custody?” Yvonne asked.

“We haven’t discussed it,” Sophie replied.

“I guess so, it seems like the most sensible thing to do,” said Samson, glancing over at Sophie. “I haven’t felt the need to rush anything. Everything’s going so well and we’re all settling into our new lives.”

“Is that something that needs to be decided now?” said Sophie.

“No, not at all, just something to think about. The important thing is Alana seems happy and is obviously thriving.”

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