‘Aren’t they on the council list like the rest?’ he said.

Em sighed, knowing he was right. Suddenly she started crying, curling up on her side in bed.

‘Eh, Em! What’s brought all this on?’ He sounded bewildered.

‘I just want things to be different,’ she sobbed. As usual what she wanted to say came out wrong. She couldn’t seem to say what she really meant: that she wanted to feel that the two of them were close again and that, despite living with all these people, she was lonely. ‘I wish we had our own house.’

‘Oh now, love,’ Norm said. He snuggled up behind her. ‘I know you do – but we haven’t got a magician with a wand to find one just like that. We’ll have our own little place eventually. But it’s not so bad here, is it? Mom and Dad’ve been good to us and they could’ve kicked up a fuss, having us foisted on them. I think our mom’s enjoying having her grandson living with her. Come on – let’s look on the bright side, eh?’

He leaned over and kissed her cheek and she twisted round and cuddled into his arms, sniffing.

‘D’you still love me, Norm?’ she asked sadly.

‘Course I do – you’re my wife!’ He pushed his body against her. ‘D’you want me to prove it?’

Em edged away. ‘No, it’s all right. Let’s go to sleep.’ Why did Norm think that doing that would always make everything all right? In some ways it made things worse.

She lay awake once he was fast asleep, the darkness broken by a dim streak of light from between the curtains. More tears ran silently down her cheeks. If only they could have another baby. If Norm was there to see it grow up this time, things would be different and he’d be more enthusiastic than he had been about Robbie. Em had loved looking after a baby, feeling its need of her. With a heavy sigh she turned on her side to try and sleep. It was no good moaning. She’d just have to keep going and make the best of things.

A few days later, when the front doors were all open to let in the warm evening air while they were eating tea, there was an urgent hammering from the front.

‘Sounds like trouble,’ Edna said, getting up.

They all listened. Em heard sobbing from the front door.

‘That’s our Vi!’

She hurried to the door and had time to take in Edna’s sorrowful expression before Violet burst out, ‘Oh, Em – it’s our dad. They’ve taken him to the hospital! He went all funny and he can’t speak or walk properly or anything.’

‘Sounds like a stroke,’ Edna said, half to herself.

Norm had joined them in the hall by now. ‘You go back with her, love,’ he said. ‘Go and look after your mom.’

‘Joyce is with her,’ Violet said. She was shaking from the shock.

‘You’d best take a few things in a bag – you’ll need to stop over,’ Edna said.