‘Shall I tell you something? I miss that boy with a vengeance. I’ll be walking down the road, happy as a sandboy, and then I’ll see his little face. Wonder what he’s doing, who he’s talking to. Whether or not he’s happy.’ She stared into the fire then, watching the flickering of the flames.

‘In the dead of the night, I daydream. I imagine how it could be, you know. I imagine me and him living here, Tommy and me married and looking after him. Tommy taking him out to play in the garden, a swing for him, a rabbit. You know, things children like. I see him asleep in bed, and me kissing him goodnight, ironing his little clothes meself, ready for the next day. I see me combing his hair, smoothing it over his forehead. I miss him all right, Kerry. I miss him so much it’s like a physical pain. Especially on his birthday or Christmas, because I can’t ever really touch him, or smell him, or talk to him. He’s my child and I have no contact with him at all.’

Her voice trailed away and Bernadette patted her shoulder. Rosalee leant towards her and kissed her, a whacking wet kiss that sounded loud in the quietness of the room. Briony hugged her sister close, smothering her with the little dry kisses she knew Rosalie loved.

‘I think you’re right, Bri. I think Eileen and her baby will be better off here. At least you’ll really love it.’

Briony looked at Kerry and said: ‘And I need a baby to love, don’t I?’ Her eyes were full of tears.

‘You can have my baby and all if you want.’

Briony coughed to give herself time to recover.

‘I’ll love your baby, Kerry, I’ll love it and care for it. I swear that to you.’

Kerry smiled. ‘I feel just like you do, about Evander. I think of him in the night. It’s as if the darkness makes you think more somehow. I imagine me and him married, and everyone pleased for us...’

Briony nodded. ‘I know. I’m sorry I chased him away, Kerry. Honestly. If I could put the clock back, I would.’

Kerry answered her bitterly, ‘But I don’t want him back, that’s the funny thing. Because it’s only now, with this baby, that I realise I was chasing a big dream. A pretend life. Because I’m not strong enough to live a life with him. I know that now. This baby has taught me that much.’

Bernadette said softly, ‘Are you going to keep the baby after you have it, Kerry? Have you decided yet?’

She shook her head vigorously.