I tried my hardest not to mind. Not to drown in the swamp of guilt and self-loathing that I’d been trying to ignore for the past three weeks. I gripped my mug with both hands and willed myself to resist apologising, or making excuses.

‘Tina, making accusations like that is not helpful. If you can’t speak respectfully to Ollie, then she’ll leave.’

‘Oh, are you her mouthpiece now, as well? She can’t even tell me herself how she’s feeling?’

‘You haven’t asked me how I’m feeling,’ I managed to say, hating how my voice sounded so weak, on the verge of whining. I accepted that Mum was the one who’d suffered here; it was her feelings that mattered, not mine. I just couldn’t help wishing that she would act like a mother, just once, and put her child’s feelings first.

Mum’s mouth twisted in derision. ‘And how am I supposed to do that, when you’ve blocked my number?’

‘I told you that I needed some space.’ Stop shaking, voice!

‘Oh, and what, now you’ve had enough space it’s time to come crawling back to Mummy? Found the big, bad world isn’t much fun on your own after all? I knew it wouldn’t take long for you to realise how badly you need me.’

‘Tina,’ Linda warned.

‘This was a mistake,’ I muttered, starting to push back from the table. ‘We’re not ready.’

Linda reached out and gave my hand a squeeze as I stood up. Some of her steely strength must have zipped through her fingers into mine, because I straightened my spine, hitched my bag up onto my shoulder and looked my mother straight in the face.

‘I’m sorry that moving out hurt you. I’m sorry that I had to block your number. But this isn’t all about you. I needed to do this for me. And while I do appreciate everything you’ve done, I think in the past few years I’ve more than repaid my debt.’ I paused to catch my breath. ‘As if a mother should expect anything in return for raising their own child. Right now, you can’t see past your own hurt to consider things from my point of view. I understand, but I won’t sit here and be spoken to like this. Take care of yourself, Mum.’

I gave Linda’s hand a reciprocal squeeze, turned and walked towards the back door.

‘I’m sorry!’ The inevitable wail trailed after me. ‘I’m sorry, I just miss you so much. I feel lost. I can’t help it when I say these things. I’m your mother; you can’t just cut me off. I need you, Olivia. Please don’t go!’