Vanessa was finally beginning to think that Mark’s campaign of terror had run its course. He was happy with Maggie, or so she assumed. She’s heard that they had recently had a baby together. Vanessa hadn’t even known she was pregnant but wished her well. After the night that Maggie had turned up at the door, they were closer to mending bridges but they still weren’t friends. Vanessa hoped that one day they could bury the past, but she thought that was up to Maggie to decide if and when. Their baby’s name was Charlotte, after Maggie’s grandmother, with whom she was very close too. Maggie’s mom was a widower who had never got over the death of her husband, so her grandmother had moved into their home to help care for Maggie, who was just eight at the time. She didn’t remember her dad very much and it bothered her. Her mom had put away all the photos of her dad, furthering Maggie’s fuzzy memories of him.

Baby Charlotte was nearly three months old now and Vanessa thought that she should make the effort to go over to Maggie’s and take a peace offering, congratulating her on the baby, but she’d have to pick a time when she knew that Mark was at work. The gossip was that Maggie wasn’t coping too well, and Vanessa promised herself that she would visit in the next few days. Depression after a baby was far too common, but if Vanessa could help, she would. She had suffered from it too, although she had so much else going on at the time.

A couple of days later, Vanessa’s cellphone vibrated in her pocket as she left work, giving final instructions to Leanne. Running the café had been her salvation and she couldn’t thank Toby enough for taking a chance on a woman that had never had a job, ever. Except being a mother, that is. That came with its own set of challenges, which Vanessa thought made her a stronger candidate for the job, even though Toby had decided to hire her on the spot, regardless. Independence suited her. She could provide for her family, finally. She had great kids, a job she loved, and she had never been so happy.

‘Hi, Mom. Good timing, I just left work.’ Her mind was still buzzing with her happy thoughts.

It had been a while since Vanessa had had a long conversation with her mom, it was usually hurried as she picked up the boys and took them home ready for tea and a bath. Actually, when she thought about it, Vanessa hadn’t sat down and spoken to her mom for a good few weeks so when she called, she was happy to hear from her. ‘Hi, Ness. Do you have time to pop round before you go and get Ty?’ Vanessa pulled her phone away from her ear and checked the time – she had five hours before she picked up Ty. Once a week she gave her mom a day off and left him with one of the girls from work, Lucy, who was a single mom, needing extra money. It was working well for all of them and Ty most of all. He was such a happy, well-adjusted little boy. Luckily, he didn’t know Mark nor remember anything about that period. She just wished that Wren could have the same blank slate – and her for that matter too.