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.

‘Sure, Mom, be there in about ten minutes.’ Putting the phone down, Vanessa thought that her mother had sounded a bit… funny. Frazzled, maybe. Vanessa wondered what could be so important that it couldn’t wait until tomorrow when she dropped Ty off before work. A knot of worry began to grow in her stomach. What could it be? She wondered if maybe she’d done something to offend her mom and that’s what she wanted to talk to her about, but it was no good guessing.

‘Mom?’ she called as she used her key to unlock the front door.

‘In the lounge, honey.’

She walked into the lounge and saw her mom sitting on one end of the couch, her dad on the other. She frowned. ‘What’s he doing here?’ Vanessa asked, striving and failing for neutrality.

Her mom sighed as if she’d rather be having any other conversation. ‘I invited him.’

‘So what, he’s back in your life now, just like that?’

‘It’s not like that, Ness, and even if it was, it’s none of your business.’

Vanessa was taken aback by her mom’s stinging words but had none of her own with which to retort.

‘I’m sorry, honey, it’s just, I’m going through something and your dad has been helping me through it. Actually, he’s been a huge help and support to me, but now it’s got to the point where I need to tell you.’

‘Tell me what?’ she whispered, her heart hammering in her chest. ‘Mom, you’re scaring me.’

Her mom looked at her dad, who covered her hand with his own. That gesture alone filled her with fear. ‘Mom?’