Mo had guessed that Sarah hadn’t gone all the way with Roger, and suspected he wasn’t going to wait for much longer. She’d met fellas like him before, and regretted giving in to them, only to be left high and dry. It had been different with Samuel. He hadn’t tried to persuade her into bed. If anything, she’d seduced him.

There was a sudden loud hammering on the front door that made both women jump. Mo ran to the window first. ‘It’s George,’ she said.

‘Oh, no, he can’t be here when Roger turns up.’

‘Don’t worry. You lie low and I’ll get rid of him.’

George hammered the door again and Mo hurried to answer it. ‘What’s going on?’ she said. ‘Where’s the fire?’

‘Where’s Sarah? I have to speak to Sarah,’ George said and pushed past her. He looked frantic and she wondered what was wrong.

‘Wait, George,’ she called, but he was already running into Sarah’s room.

‘Sarah, you have to come with me. It’s Tommy! Mum’s taken him to the hospital. Come on, I’ll drive you there.’

‘Why? What’s wrong with him?’ Sarah asked as the colour drained from her face.

‘I’m not sure. He’s been coughing a lot and Mum said he was burning up. He then seemed to have some sort of fit, so we called for an ambulance.’

‘No, oh, no,’ Sarah gasped as she frantically pulled on her shoes.

‘I’m sure he’ll be all right,’ said George, ‘but get a move on, love.’

Sarah grabbed her keys and hot on the heels of George she dashed out, calling, ‘Mo, when Roger turns up, will you tell him what’s happened?’

‘Yeah, of course,’ she called back. What seemed like only moments later, Mo heard the van drive off. She hoped Tommy was going to be all right. She’d seen someone have a fit before and they had bitten off the end of their tongue. Poor Tommy, she thought, hoping that he hadn’t done the same thing, and poor Sarah.

Then straight away Mo’s selfish side kicked in. She’d been so happy, over the moon at getting a modelling job, but if Tommy didn’t make it she’d be expected to be a comfort to Sarah. Instead of celebrating and having a good time, she might well have to attend a bloody funeral.

Chapter 37

On the journey to the hospital, Sarah kept questioning George about Tommy’s fit, but as he didn’t have any answers she became more and more frantic. They didn’t seem to be driving fast enough, and as she tapped her finger and thumb together, she hissed, ‘Come on … come on … get a move on.’