‘Your bloody father. Controlling. Demanding. Well you can just sod off back to London and leave me alone. It’s my house and my business and I don’t need you or your dad telling me what to do. I’m better off now that he’s living in Cranton and I can manage perfectly well with you living in London. I don’t need either of you interfering.’

My heart was pounding, making me feel sick and dizzy. ‘Mum! That’s not how I meant any of it.’

‘Really? That’s not what I heard and, to be honest, I’ve heard enough. It’s time to leave.’

‘Mum! We need to talk about this. Please.’ She had a wild look in her eyes and her cheeks were aflame. It was new and scary and I was way out of my depth but I had to keep trying to reason with her.

‘You do. I don’t. Go away, Jemma.’

‘Mum!’

‘GET THE HELL OUT!’

With a frustrated cry, she hurled her mug towards the door. Coffee flew over the duvet and carpet. The mug chipped a chunk out of the wooden door as it smashed, splashing the remnants of drink down the walls and onto the floor.

I ran towards the door and, with shaking hands, carefully gathered the larger fragments in my palm. ‘I’ll get Henry,’ I muttered through my tears.

‘Stop trying to control everything. Leave it. Leave me. NOW!’

She didn’t need to tell me again. Gulping back sobs, I dropped the pieces and fled.

‘Here’s the taxi,’ I said to Logan as we stood on the front doorstep of Bear’s Pad ten minutes later. ‘Quickly fasten your laces.’ I’d put sunglasses on so he couldn’t see my red eyes. It was a bright day so I could at least get away with shades in October, avoiding any awkward questions.

He looked up from where he was bent over his trainers. ‘Why am I going to Auntie Rachel’s? I’m not meant to be seeing Eden until tomorrow.’

Good question. But not one with an easy answer.

Finishing his bow, he stood up. I cuddled him to my side and hoped he couldn’t feel me still shaking. ‘I need to go out, Logan-paws, and Mum isn’t feeling very well so Auntie Rachel said she’d have you for a few hours. You don’t mind, do you?’

He shook his head. ‘I like it there. Mum doesn’t feel very well most days.’

‘I know, sweetheart, I know. But she’s got some tablets and some nice doctors looking after her. It’s just a bit difficult for her.’

‘I heard her shouting at you. She never used to shout.’

I nodded as I squeezed him tighter. It had been too much to hope that he wouldn’t have overheard. They’d probably heard at the bottom of the street.