‘Sure,’ she said. Wren took her by the hand and led her into Ty’s room. He locked the door once she was inside. He led her to the rocking chair in the corner and pushed her into it. She looked at him blankly. Wren then pressed number one on the landline handset – the speed-dial number for Billy – and switched it to loudspeaker. The phone connected after only a few rings.

‘What is it, Ness?’ came the concerned reply.

‘It’s Wren,’ he said softly, urgently.

‘Wren! What’s wrong? Where’s your mom? Is she OK?’

From across the room, Vanessa heard the questions Billy fired at Wren in panic.

‘Dad was here, he hurt Mom. I think he’s still here, but I hit him with a lamp.’ She could hear the fear in Wren’s voice, and she felt like a shit mom for bringing this down upon him yet again. His whole little body shook, his eyes wide and disbelieving. Slowly she pushed herself, with a little difficulty, out of the chair and moved to the door.

‘I’m coming right now!’

Reaching out, she touched the bolt on the lock. It was cold.

‘Don’t go out there, Mom. He might still be there. Wait for Billy,’ Wren pleaded. Billy would be on his way in a matter of seconds, but Vanessa had to know now, was he still there?

‘I’m just going to stick my head out there, OK?’ Slowly she slid the bolt to the side and opened the door wide enough for her to see that Mark was gone. Shocked, she opened the door fully and looked down both sides of the hallway. There was no sign of Mark at all. Not even any blood to prove that he was here. Vanessa heard the key in the front door and ran down the hallway to meet Billy. She fell into his arms, her vision blurry with tears of relief. He wiped them from her cheeks. ‘Ness! What are you doing out here? Get back in the bedroom with the boys and I’ll check the house.’

It was a familiar scene, locking herself in to keep someone else out. Vanessa anxiously watched over her boys, caressing Ty who was screaming, his face red with rage at being woken from his slumber. Then she put her arms out for a hug from Wren. She knew how hard standing up to his father had been. She knew it had taken guts.

‘You’re so brave, Wren. And I’m so proud of you. I worry so much about you and your brother, I just want to keep you both safe and I feel like I’m failing in that.’ She was honest with him. They had that kind of relationship, young as he was; they’d been through so much together, this was just another chapter in their story, one that was far from over.

Billy knocked gently. ‘He’s gone, Ness. Why don’t you pack up the boys and come and stay at my place for the night? Plenty of room and it’d make me feel better.’