"What do I do now?" asked Harry of the man behind the desk.
"You're his father, his mother was quite specific in her request, there is no one else. It should only be a matter of days. Paperwork will dictate it finally."
"Possibly by the start of next week then?"
"Possibly. Probably."
Harry nodded.
"Are you married, Mr Pearce?"
"No." said Harry, wishing.
"With someone?"
"No." Wishing.
"Will you be able to manage?"
"I'll have to." Harry smiled belying the apprehension he felt.
"Social services will want to check that all is as it should be, you can expect a visit from them imminently."
"Thanks for the tip off."
Harry went home he had much to sort out before the start of the following week.
"Where's Harry?"
"Said he'd be a bit late in." Beth told Alec.
"Ruth, do you know what's going on with him at the moment?" Dimitri asked.
"No. I don't," she wished she did. Things weren't that comfortable between them since his proposal and she felt that this was all part of him closing her down, trying to exclude her from his life and his problems.
"He was weird last week and he's started this week weirder," added Dimitri
"Is that a word?" asked Beth.
"Wierder? Yeah."
"Isn't it more weird?"
"What, more weird that he was last week?"
"No isn't it more weird, not weirder?"
"You're weird, shut up."
"You shut up, Greek boy."
"Children, children" exclaimed Alec, feeling rather avuncular.
It was at that rather inopportune, or possibly rather apt, moment that Harry walked onto the Grid.
They all became instantly silent as he crossed to his office.
He said nothing.
They said nothing.
They tried not to look at Ruth. She tried not to look surprised.
They all failed miserably.
Harry carried James in his arms and put him down on the sofa in his office and then he reached for his mobile phone again.