“This is probably the last time we will be alone together”, Amanda said.

I’ve never really been to her house in the day but being there today it seemed worse for parking than my street at night. Driving up and down looking for the smallest available piece of kerb against which to practice my parallel parking I sailed past Damon on his way to meet Chris and doing the same as me.

For Chris and Amanda this is the final straight and with a few weeks to go the den downstairs has been invaded my a smart new, and very expensive, pram which blocks the way to the beer in the fridge; Christmas presents are wrapped and the mantlepiece is cleared ready for the congratulations cards. It’s the calm before the storm.

We were meeting for lunch and to catch up on news and have one of the intense but caring conversations which you receive from time to time if your best friend is a psychologist. With so much news on both sides the waitress gave up coming over to try to take the order as we seemed to cover every topic from stock options in the business to is this the one ?

After all these years its odd to think that, perhaps, we won’t be this alone again. Driving back to her house I suddenly had my hand grabbed and placed on a very full tummy to feel the kick from their child. A gentle reminder that even now there were three of us there.