Vera opened the door slowly. She had left the hall light off, so the only illumination came through faintly from the back room, showing her forbidding silhouette. Katie waited for her to say, ‘Well, come in then’, but Vera said nothing and stood blocking the doorway. It was impossible to see the exact expression on her face in the shadows, but after a few seconds she folded her arms.

‘Mother . . .’ Katie was about to embark on her apology, but Vera raised a hand to cut her off.

‘Here you are – there’s as much as you’ll need in here.’

Only then, as her mother turned, did Katie see the suitcase at the bottom of the stairs. Vera dragged it out onto the step.

‘There’s nothing else here that belongs to you.’

‘Mother!’ Katie’s voice rose to a wail. ‘You can’t just throw me out on the street like this! For God’s sake, have some pity. You can’t mean for me just to go and never come back! I’ve come to apologize . . .’

‘Apologize?’ Vera derided. ‘What use is that? It’s a bit late for apology. You’ve made your bed – now you can damn well lie in it.’

Katie gasped. ‘My God, what sort of mother are you? I’m your only daughter – don’t you care anything about your own flesh and blood? And this is your grandchild I’m carrying!’

‘Grandchild!’ Vera spat out the word as if it disgusted her. She lowered her voice to a bitter hiss. ‘You have the brazen nerve to call it that! A bastard born out of wedlock is no grandchild of mine. Nor ever will be. And what sort of daughter have you turned out to be? Bringing shame and disgrace upon me, after all I’ve suffered for you. Turning all my hopes to dust and ashes. You slut. You’re no daughter of mine – not after this!’

She stepped back and the door slammed shut. Katie stood stunned in the darkness. The little cat was still wailing and its cry sounded desolate, but it did not bring her to tears in sympathy. That woman who had been her mother did not bring out gentle emotions. Instead there was another hardening, something in her that had to grow strong if it was not to collapse. Her mother was unhinged in some way – what was all this rage and cruelty? All Vera cared about was herself, her own feelings: wasn’t that all she’d ever really cared about? Katie thought savagely. Always telling her what she could say and not say, what she should do.

Katie pulled herself straighter, feeling as if she was already looking back on her younger self from a new position. Damn her – if that was all Vera could say, the best she could do as a mother, then she could go to hell. She was filled with rage and a burning resolve. Damn her, and damn him too!

‘Well, so it’s just you now. Us.’ To her surprise she found herself talking to the baby inside her. ‘You and me. And we’ll damn well cope somehow – whatever it takes.’