Vanessa made up her mind to finally do what she’d been meaning and wanting to do for some time. She needed to go round and check on Maggie, and after last night, it felt much more urgent. She had intended on doing it but then she had found out about her mom’s diagnosis and everything had been about her. The grief had taken its toll on Vanessa, but she felt strong enough now to go and see her. She worried for Maggie’s safety. Mark had been put down and embarrassed by Billy, so who was he going to take it out on?

Vanessa rang the doorbell and waited until she heard slow footsteps inside the house.

‘Who is it?’ Maggie’s voice called out wearily.

‘It’s Vanessa. Let me in, Maggie.’

She heard the lock disengage and the door swung open. She was thin, wearing old clothes, her hair hung over one eye and she refused to raise her head properly.

‘Let me guess, your black eye matches this one,’ she said pointing to her own eye as Maggie finally looked up, her lank hair falling away from her bruised face. ‘Oh, Maggie. I’m so sorry.’

‘What happened last night?’ Maggie asked.

Vanessa sighed. ‘He ambushed me, attacked me at work, broke my nose and probably another rib, but Billy came in, got him off me and hurt him. I guess he came home and hurt you. I’m so sorry.’ And she was genuinely sorry. Ducking and covering wasn’t an option with Mark. The storm followed you until it eventually broke.

‘Why are you here?’

‘I realized that I haven’t met Charlotte yet, I’ve been a bad friend, but with Mom…’

‘I was really sorry to hear about your mom, but I didn’t know what to say, given what I’d done to her. Didn’t think your family would want to hear from me.’

‘I appreciate that. I… I also wanted to tell you first that I’ve decided to divorce Mark.’

There was stunned silence for a moment before Maggie exploded. ‘What? You can’t do that! He’ll kill me. I’m as good as dead if you divorce him. Please don’t.’

Vanessa felt for her, she really did, but Mark was her past, Billy was her future and she wanted a clean slate. She didn’t want to tell Billy yet. She wanted it to be a surprise once she worked out what to do, and Maggie was part of that plan.