'Hello there', said Carmel, and her voice was so warm he thought be could slip right into it and sleep. 'Are you coming home soon?'
'Any minute now: I just need a bit of help,' he admitted.
'Are you still at it?'
'She spilt the first lot.'
Carmel let out a roar of laughter. 'I should have warned you,' she said. 'When we shared a flat, Sarah was always knocking over cups of tea.'
'Are you comparing my precious seed to a beverage woman?'
'The comparison is entirely in your favour.' Her voice changed for a minute; her mouth moved away from the phone and he heard her say, 'You go up and brush your teeth, love. I’ll be up as soon as I’ve finished talking to Daddy.'