Betti had arranged for Pid to collect me from work this evening and I expected another two-hour wait in the draughty car park but, to my amazement, he was already there when I got out. I tried quizzing him about the 'special family celebration' Betti had talked of, but all he'd say was that he was sworn to secrecy and that I'd find out shortly.
When we got to Valhalla it did indeed look like a family gathering because the only other people there were Betti's sister and brother-in-law parked in the living room in front of the TV. Their noxious twins, Lucretia and Bernardo (I kid you not!), were busy in the back yard tormenting the wildlife and flattening flower beds.
Betti greeted me with her customary huggies and even had some left over for Stu.
'Ginny's already guessed, eh,' she said motioning towards her sister, 'so I might as well tell you right away.'
'Oh, I've got some other good news for you two as well,' put in Stu, 'but you first dear.'
'Dear'? I thought, and huggies? Then I guessed too.
'You're going to be an uncle!'
There were more hugs, kisses and congratulations. Stu stood there beaming broadly and Betti's sister passed round drinks and proposed a toast. Even the brother-in-law managed to put down the remote control long enough to take up a glass and wave his support.
l was really pleased for them. I know it means a lot to Betti, and Stuart seems, well, different somehow. More relaxed, more human.
'The real party's Saturday night,' Betti explained, 'but we wanted the family to know first, eh.'
Suddenly Pid shushed us silent and called out, 'Turn it up. Bob.'
Bob obliged and all eyes swivelled to the television.
'In the news tonight,' came the voice-over. 'A high-speed police chase ends in the death of a murder suspect ... a long-awaited leadership bid is finally made public ... and Bubbles the giraffe gets a cure for her sore throat.'
Stuart leaned over and gave me a friendly punch.
'That was all your doing.'
'Mine?' I said, unable to take my eyes off the screen for a second.
'Yes, that's all down to you bro.'
I shook my head
'Oh absolutely.'
I finally tore myself away from images of mangled motorbikes, talking heads and lolloping animals and, seeing all their eyes on me, shrugged, 'Well, I must admit, for a while there I thought Bubbles would never get better.'
You know what? Pid actually laughed.