"Knock knock!" Zosia sang under her breath, carefully pushing the door to the lounge open. She peeked inside and grinned at what she found. Jac was curled up against the back of the sofa, their baby daughter cradled in her arms. She was wrapped in a thick woollen blanket and her head lolled against the wall as she slept fitfully.

Zosia eased the door shut and moved quietly towards the sofa. "Hey, baby." She cooed softly as the infant's eyes fluttered open, gently prising her from Jac's arms. Emma whined and started to grizzle, causing Jac to stir at last.

"Hm, Emi..sshh.." Jac groaned, forcing her eyes open. She started at the sight of Zosia towering over her, and then breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God you're back."

Zosia chuckled. "That bad, huh?" She leaned down to kiss Jac on top of her head, then took a seat beside her in the sofa. "You look exhausted, darling."

Jac rubbed her sore eyes and looked at Zosia blearily. "Nothing a few hours of sleep won't fix."

Zosia pressed her lips together and frowned, feeling guilty all over again. "You really should've been left alone to rest today. I should've tried harder to find Emma a babysitter or a place in the crèche-"

Jac cut her off with a clumsy kiss on the cheek. "Cut yourself some slack, you wouldn't have been able to find anyone at such short notice." She sniffed, reaching for the crumpled tissues at the end of the sofa. "I'm worried she's caught my cold though. We should probably give her some calpol before she starts burning up."

Zosia stood up, balancing Emma on her hip. "I'll take care of that. Come on, you go and get yourself a nice cool shower and some clean pyjamas." She offered a hand and Jac took it gratefully, carefully getting to her feet. She seemed smaller and unsteadier than usual, and concerned, Zosia guided her over to the stairs.

Once Jac was gone, Zosia turned and headed into the kitchen. She paused to drop Emma into her highchair and the baby gave an emotional sob, reaching after her mama pitifully.

"I know, I know." Zosia soothed, taking the kettle over the sink. She filled it and continued talking, switching between English and Polish. "Mama's got some lovely calpol for you, it'll make you feel all better."

Upstairs, there was a hiss as Jac started the shower, and the water pipes hummed.

Emma gave a soft whinge as Zosia carefully poured the medicine onto a teapoon, some of it oozing out stickily onto her fingers. She grimaced at the sensation and then turned back to her daughter, plastering a reassuring smile on her face.

"Here we go, look." She lifted Emma out of the highchair and settled her onto her lap. "What's this for my little princess?" She teased the spoon into Emma's mouth, and silently thanked the doctor-gods as she took the medicine without a fuss.

Leaving the kitchen, Zosia took a bottle of milk from the fridge. She laid Emma down in the playpen and covered her with a yellow blanket, before offering the bottle. To her immense relief the baby took the bottle in her hands happily, and began sucking on the teat.

The baby finally occupied, Zosia started up the stairs and headed for the bathroom. She rapped on the door quickly to announce her presence, then entered the room. Jac had changed into her pyjamas and was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, her toothbrush in her mouth and a towel wrapped around her head. She hummed and wiggled her fingers by way of a hello.

"Emma's in the playpen with a bottle, she should be asleep in about twenty minutes. I've put the kettle on?"

Jac leaned forward to spit into the sink. "I'll have a cup of hot water, just squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and honey."

Zosia smiled, suddenly feeling very sleepy. "Got it. Want me to comb your hair for you when you come down?"

"Please." Jac replaced her toothbrush in the pot, then stretched and grinned lazily. "I love you."