The door closed behind us, and I said, "Well, girls, ready for bed?"
Amy looked at Laura. "It's still early. Why don't we have coffee and talk for a while?"
The girls went through into the living room while I made coffee. When I came back through with the tray, they were sitting on either end of the sofa, their legs curled up under them. Laura had put some music on quietly in the background.
Amy patted the seat between them. "Plenty of room," she said with a smile.
I took my assigned place, and put an arm round each girl's shoulders. They both snuggled against me, and for a while we enjoyed the closeness and the music.
Then Amy spoke without raising her head. "Laura?"
"Mmm?"
"Tell Tim that story we were making up the other day."
I settled down to listen, and Laura began. "Actually, this story involves all three of us. This is sometime in the nineteen-twenties in America. Tim, you're a rich businessman, and Amy, you're his wife. You live in a big house in New York, but you don't have any children; Amy feels as though she's letting Tim down, and Tim's concerned that he doesn't have a son to leave his fortune to.
"Because you don't have a family, Amy has plenty of time to be on various committees, and one of them is the university scholarship committee, which has responsibility for awarding places to students from overseas to visit the university. I've applied, and something about my file catches Amy's eye. She speaks in my favour when the committee meets, and I'm offered a place.
"So I arrive by Cunarder from England, and Amy is there to meet me with her car and driver. 'Gosh,' I say to her, 'do all the scholarship students get treated like this?' She smiles. 'No, but my husband and I would like to invite you to come and stay with us while you're here.'
"The car drives us out of town and we soon reach the gates to the house. Tim meets us at the door, and the servants are lined up to greet me. We go in, and the housekeeper shows me to my room.
"Because term doesn't start for several weeks, we spend the time playing tennis, going on picnics, swimming. I have a marvellous time, and get to know you really well. I like you both a lot, and I can imagine how great you'd be with children.
"One day Amy takes me aside and says, 'Laura, I want to ask you something. It's really important to Tim and me, and we've come to know you so well over the last few weeks. I know we can trust you, even if you decide you can't help us.'
"I obviously look mystified, and Amy continues, 'You know Tim and I don't have any children. We've consulted the doctors, and they think that it's probably me -- they think everything with Tim is OK. We've wondered about adopting, but it never really appealed to us.'
"'Laura, would you consider -- could you -- helping us to have a baby?'
"For a moment I can't think of any words to answer. Amy says, 'Laura, have I offended you? I'm so sorry.'
"'It's not that,' I say. 'I just had no idea what to expect. Amy, I've listened to you and Tim talking about how much it would mean to you to start a family. It's a big step for me, but I know you'd do everything in your power to make it straightforward.'
"I take a deep breath, then say, 'I'd love to help.'
"Amy sits down, her face revealing a combination of relief at having plucked up the courage to have the conversation, and joy at my response. 'Really? That's fantastic. I can't wait to tell Tim.'
"'Why don't we surprise him,' I suggest, a hint of mischief in my voice.
"'Great idea,' grinned Amy. 'I know just how to do it.'
"The next night, we're just finishing dinner and Amy says, 'Tim, why don't you and I have an early night?'
"You both go upstairs to the master bedroom, and Amy says to you, 'I have a surprise for you, but you must promise not to peek. Close your eyes until I say.'
"'OK,' Tim replies, and Amy leaves the room. After a few minutes she says to me, 'Now,' and I go in. I'm wearing only a silk dressing gown, tied with a belt.
"I say aloud, 'You can look now,' and Tim opens his eyes.
"'Laura?' he stammers, astonished.
"'I'm the surprise,' I reply. 'Amy told me about her idea, and I agreed.'
"Tim can still hardly believe it, and I give him a reassuring smile. 'I'm fine with it -- Amy has convinced the university committee that I'm spending a year getting experience in your company before I start my scholarship in the business school.'
"'Well,' he says, 'if you're sure.' He gets out of bed -- he's wearing a dressing gown like the one I have on -- and walks over to me. He leans over to kiss me, watching my eyes in case I change my mind. As his lips near mine, I put my hand behind his head and pull him towards me.
"Our lips touch and I close my eyes as he kisses me, tentatively at first then harder. I reach for the belt of my dressing gown and loosen it, then shrug the garment off my shoulders. Then I undo his belt and open the front of his dressing gown, sliding my hands over his chest, then moving one hand down to touch his growing erection.
"His breath catches in his throat, and he says, 'Laura, I think I'm ready, if you are.'
"I smile, and walk past him to the bed, lying down and waiting to receive him. He discards his dressing gown, and positions himself between my legs, the tip of his erection pressing against my entrance. Then he slides smoothly into me.
"I gasp, and he says anxiously, 'Have I hurt you?'
"'No,' I reply, 'just the opposite.' He starts to move in me, and I gasp again each time he penetrates me deeply.
"'I'm nearly there,' he says, then groans as he comes. I feel warmth surge into me from him, and smile.
"'Let's hope that hit the spot,' I say.
"'I'm sorry you didn't quite get there,' Tim says with a note of regret in his voice.
"'Don't worry,' I reply, 'I'm sure there'll be another time.'
"Amy sends me to Tim every night from then on, and she and I count the days in my diary. One day she says, 'Shouldn't it be time for your period by now?'
"'Think so, but nothing's happened.'
"We look at each other for a moment, and then Amy grins broadly. 'I know it's too early to be sure,' she says, 'but I think we're there.' Shortly after, I'm certain, and the three of us go out for a discreet celebration.
"Over the next few weeks, I start to bulge, and Tim and Amy treat me like fragile china. The months pass, and finally I feel the beginnings of birth pains. We go to the hospital, and Tim paces outside the door while Amy holds my hand during the birth.