If I’d been in Perth this afternoon, home instead of bonking Dan’s brains out, my little girl wouldn’t be lying in the hospital with possible internal injuries. Worst Mother of the Year didn’t even come close.

‘She wants you, Ash.’

‘Huh?’ Lost in self-loathing, I didn’t even hear what Adrian said.

‘Payton. She wants you here.’

‘Of course.’ I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. ‘I’m on my way. I’ll be there as soon as I can.’

‘I’ll drive you,’ Dan offered the moment I hung up.

‘You don’t have to.’

‘No way am I letting you drive all the way to Perth after the shock you’ve just had. Come on,’ he said, helping me off the floor. ‘Let’s get dressed and we’ll be on our way.’

I couldn’t say what Dan and I talked about during what felt like a longer than ever drive to Perth, or if we talked at all—I was incapable of thinking about anything except Payton. We arrived at Perth Children’s Hospital just before 6 pm and I leapt from the car before Dan had even parked. Following the directions Adrian had given me, I ran through the hospital corridors and was almost at Payton’s room when Topaz appeared out of nowhere.

‘Mrs Wood?’ She rushed towards me and held me by the arms. ‘I’m so sorry. I don’t expect you to ever forgive me or let me look after Payton again. I should have called the school to let them know I’d be late, but I thought she’d just wait.’

Tears streamed down her face, blending with her heavy eye makeup to give her puffy panda eyes. My motherly instincts kicked in. This girl was barely more than a child herself; she should never have been given the responsibility of taking care of mine.

‘It’s okay. This isn’t your fault. It’s just one of those horrible things,’ I told her, even though I didn’t believe that at all. This was someone’s fault—mine. ‘Go home and try not to worry. I need to see Payton now.’

Topaz nodded, relief filling her eyes. I turned for Payton’s room, took a deep breath, and stepped inside, barely registering Adrian, Saxon, Hayley and Glennis as my gaze snapped straight to Payton sitting up in bed, a sour expression on her face and a big black moon boot on her foot.

‘Ash.’ Adrian cut me off as I headed for our daughter and yanked me into his arms. ‘Thank God you’re here.’

Stunned, I automatically burrowed my head in his shoulder and then recoiled at his now unfamiliar scent. ‘I thought you said she didn’t break anything?’

‘I said they were still checking her over,’ Adrian said. ‘She’s got a small fracture in her ankle.’

‘Mum-my,’ whined Payton and then promptly burst into tears.