Jordy slapped the kitchen worktop, lips thinned and teeth gritted. ‘What the fuck is it with her? She gave him a lift last time he sneaked off.’

Opting not to address that, Aaron kept on speaking. ‘The main thing is he has a roof over his head, at least for a few days. I’ll keep in touch with Clancy—’ would he ever ‘—and tell you if that changes.’

With a bellow, Jordy bulldozed his way across the kitchen to grab Aaron’s arm. ‘That bitch Clancy—’

‘Careful,’ Aaron hissed, feeling his fists clenching at his sides.

‘But what’s she got to do with Harry?’ Jordy bellowed, though he loosened his grip.

‘She cares, I suppose.’ Aaron kept his temper with difficulty. He wasn’t a parent and felt unsuited to the job of mediator. Clancy had asked him to do this though, and Harry saw him as an ally. ‘He’s your son, man. You can’t only love him if he’s exactly what you want him to be.’

Anabelle spoke for the first time since Aaron had entered. She gazed at Jordy. ‘It’s time we called it a day.’

‘Called what a day, Belly?’ he demanded in the impatient voice Aaron had heard him use with her so often.

Anabelle drew herself up. ‘Us. We’ve reached the end of the road, Jordy. I’m leaving you.’ She sounded perfectly composed.

Jordy stared at her in shocked, awful silence, the colour draining from his entire face, even his lips as Aaron watched helplessly, unsure if he should go or stay. ‘Is there another man or something?’ he managed at length.

‘Yes,’ Anabelle answered with a firm nod. ‘It’s a man who cares about me. Living with him will be different. He won’t call me Belly.’ She gave a tired smile. ‘He’ll call me Mum. I’m leaving you for my son. He’s my son. He’s entitled to be whoever he is. I’ve been thinking about doing this for ages,’ she added, ‘and now you’ve completely chased Harry away you’ve made up my mind. I’ll rent a house in Leicester. Harry and Rory can come to live with me, at least for a while, and then they’ll be safe. Harry can go to uni and Rory and I will find jobs.’

Though he appeared to have brought the situation down on himself, Aaron suddenly felt sorry for Jordy, whose mouth opened and closed as his brain refused to supply him with the words that would keep his wife, keep his life.

Even Anabelle was gazing at Jordy with compassion. ‘All you had to do was accept your own son,’ she said. Then she hugged Aaron hard and thanked him for bringing them the news. She patted Jordy’s shoulder as she passed. ‘I’m going to pack. It won’t take long.’

After several long moments, Aaron cleared his throat. ‘Do you want me to stay, Jordy? If you want to talk or anything—’

‘No.’ Jordy turned and looked up the hallway after his wife. ‘No. No. Just leave me be.’