Matt chuckled. ‘Yes, it is. I’ve got something to show you when we get inside.’
‘What?’ Sam pushed the door open and Matt set him back on his feet. He rushed inside, looking around the sitting room and then running into the kitchen.
Hannah took Matt’s arm, and they crossed the threshold of their new home. The sitting room had been painted, but the floorboards were bare and there was no furniture yet. The kitchen was old, but it would do until they could afford to replace it. The minute they’d seen the large, Victorian house, Matt and Hannah had known that this was the place where they wanted to raise a family and grow old together.
‘Have the painters finished in Sam’s room?’ Hannah knew how much it meant to Matt to be a good father, and when she’d suggested he should be the one to decorate Sam’s room, he’d jumped at the chance.
‘You’ll see.’ Matt grinned at her, calling to Sam. ‘Why don’t you try upstairs?’
Sam clattered upstairs, running into the master bedroom, which was flooded with winter sunshine. Hannah followed him.
‘Oh! Matt you bought a bed! It’s beautiful...’ It was the one she’d wanted, but had decided they couldn’t afford. The snowy white quilt and pillows suited it perfectly.
‘Have I got a bed too?’ Sam asked.
‘Go and see.’ Matt was standing in the doorway, grinning.
Sam ran into the room he’d chosen as his bedroom. Hannah expected to hear some reaction, but there was a sudden silence. Matt caught her hand, and she followed him.
The room had been painted and the carpet laid. In one corner, a whole constellation of stars covered the ceiling, and models of each of the planets in the solar system were suspended on fine wires. There were bookshelves, some squashy beanbag seats, and a long low bench with a child’s chair. On the other side of the room was a bunk bed with moon and stars bedding.
‘Do you like it?’ Matt seemed suddenly nervous, but when Sam turned around he was grinning from ear to ear.
‘Can I sleep here? Tonight?’
‘Oh, sweetie.’ Hannah turned the corners of her mouth down. ‘I want to sleep here too, but we can’t. All our things are at home.’
‘But I live here now.’
Matt chuckled. ‘I packed a bag for us. We’ll have to go back home tomorrow, Sam, the decorators will be working here again next week. But we can stay tonight and we’ll bring the rest of your things here next weekend.’
‘Yes! Thanks, Dad!’
Sam started to explore his room, and Hannah crooked her finger, indicating that they could leave him to it. Outside, in the hallway, Matt caught her in a sudden embrace, his eyes bright with emotion.
‘I think I just got promoted.’
Sam had readily accepted that Matt was his dad now, but this was the first time he’d called him Dad.
‘You’ve definitely earned it. I love you, Robin.’
He chuckled. ‘And I love you, Flash.’
* * *