‘I’m sorry I was busy and she…’

‘She only wanted you to look at her painting.’

‘I know, I’m sorry.’

‘She said you wouldn’t show her some photo?’

‘I told her it wasn’t important.’

‘Go and speak to her, Max, she’s really upset.’

Chloe was in her bedroom when he went upstairs. She’d stuck a picture of the rainbow to her door and drawn big black lines of rain all over it.

‘Is this your painting?’ he asked.

She was sitting at her desk, drawing something else. She nodded in an exaggerated way.

‘But why is it raining?’

‘Because you didn’t want to look at my beautiful rainbow.’

‘I’m so sorry, darling.’ He knelt next to her desk. ‘Who is this?’ He pointed to what she was drawing.

‘It’s me.’

‘But you don’t look very happy.’

‘I’m not.’

‘Could you draw me another picture? You’re so good at rainbows and I really would like to see one after it’s stopped raining.’

She took out a new sheet of paper and smiled. Max kissed the top of her head. He was so lucky to have a beautiful family. He’d moved on. He needed to leave the past well alone. Trouble was, Ali had a way of worming into his head, which was difficult to control.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Maddy: October 2019

Maddy stands by the shower curtain holding a towel ready for Emily to wipe shampoo lather from her eyes. The sweet berry aroma fills the air. It’s hard to believe Emily will be eight next year. It won’t be long before she’s self-conscious about her body and doesn’t want her mother in the bathroom with her.

She doesn’t let Emily have baths anymore, which may be selfish, but the anxiety dreams she has about her drowning have never gone away. Max installed hand grips on either side of the bath, and they bought a long rubber mat to make sure she doesn’t slip, but it doesn’t stop her worrying that if she leaves the room something bad will happen.

She reaches for the garnet pendant around her neck and rubs its cool smooth surface. In the steamed-up mirror above the sink, she can make out the outline of her mother’s face. She’s always been there these last few days, keeping a watchful eye over her. Only she understands what she’s going through.