When Tom talks again, it’s like he’s working through a thought process aloud. There is an edge of triumph in his voice, as though he’s made a brilliant discovery. ‘You know, actually I don’t think you are mad. I don’t. I think, in fact I would say I’m a 100 per cent certain, that it’s so much simpler than that. You’re completely selfish. That’s it. And actually, I can’t really blame you because the truth is you’ve always been like that. Ever since I’ve known you it’s just been about you. About what you want, what you need. At every single step, even after the kids … And I, I went along with it. I mean, did you even ask Saoirse about what happened with Jim?’

He reads her face like a book.

‘Course you didn’t. He’s left her. It happened months ago but, well, you’ve had other things on your mind. Obviously …’

She feels the sea air slapping her face and for a moment she fears she will drop Layla, that all the strength in her body has vanished. But then, presumably feeling herself slip, Layla pulls at her shoulder and she feels her body righting itself.

‘Now,’ he says, clarity coming to him in stages. ‘You and that baby need to go. You can write, when you work out where you’ll be. With the father, I presume? Are you in touch? Actually, spare me the details.’

For once in his life attempting to take charge. For a moment she nearly claps. How long has it taken to get to the point where he is actually attempting to assert some control? And then his words sink in.

‘Me?’ she says. ‘You’re asking me to go? Tom, come now, it’s my house.’

He looks at her with such astonishment that she looks away. ‘You’re telling me you want to leave and you want to turf your children out of their home? Classy, Gabriela.’

‘That’s not what I’m saying, Tom. We can all go, together … You’re the one saying it’s over. Besides, you can’t go back there – it’s not safe.’

For a moment he is frozen in disbelief, speechless, and then his face collapses.

‘Not safe? What the fuck are you even talking about? You’re a piece of work, you know that? Do you know how much I loved you?’ Hot tears are falling from his eyes now, his nostrils flared with a rage she has never seen him express before.

‘They’re my children, Tom. You can’t really think I would walk away from them?’

He looks up to the sky and howls with laughter, as she says, ‘I’m their mother!’

‘Oh,’ he sniffs. ‘Now you’re their mother?’