Isaac stared at her, drawing her slightly to one side to let Lily bustle through and begin serving the customers waiting at the bar. ‘How will that work with the kids? Is Billy having them? Or moving back in?’ His heart sank at the idea of the latter. Billy hadn’t been a particularly hands-on dad and he’d made a bloody fool of Flora.

She shook her head. ‘No, my friend Willow’s moving in with me. She’s a single mum with a girl and a boy, like me. She’s moving into the spare room, her son will move in with Jeremy and her daughter with Jasmine. We’re each going to work part-time and share the babysitting. We’ve got to do something because Billy’s got himself sacked from work so he has no real income, so he doesn’t have to pay for the kids and Willow’s ex has done a runner. It’s a nightmare, Isaac. When you were living with us and paying me board that money made all the difference.’

Around them, people laughed and chatted. Isaac stared down in dismay at his sister’s embarrassed expression. ‘I didn’t realise or maybe I could have got a job where I didn’t live in.’

She set her mouth obstinately. ‘We’re not your responsibility. I’m happy to work my way out of trouble.’

Hating Billy with fresh force, Isaac said, ‘I’ll ask Mr Tubb as soon as I can get hold of him tomorrow. Do you need money to be going on with?’

She laughed. ‘Why? Have you got any?’

‘Some,’ he replied honestly. He wasn’t yet in a position to know what would be left after coming to agreement with HMRC and he’d paid for his courses and his living expenses while undergoing them, but he was pretty confident it would be ‘some’. He had regular income while he was working here.

She gave him a hard hug. ‘I’ll keep you as a last resort.’

When they returned to their table in time for Lily to bring over their delicious-smelling meals he helped Flora break the news of her altered living arrangements to their parents and be very reassuring that of course it would work out and it was really quite an exciting and fun solution to Flora’s problems.

Stef’s sharp gaze saw straight through the good face Flora was putting on things and she saddened. ‘Oh, Flora, I’d help you if I possibly could. But with living on benefits and caring for your dad—’

‘You’ve got your hands full already,’ Flora agreed reassuringly. ‘I’ll be fine if Isaac can get me a couple of shifts a week here. Willow will share the rent and utilities so you don’t need to worry, Mum.’