Liv went to the bathroom and brushed her hair, while trying not to make eye contact with herself in the bathroom mirror. She knew she looked terrible, but if she sat with her back to the light, she might just fool her family into thinking that there was nothing to worry about and she was taking this in her stride. She smeared on some rose lip balm and a hint of blusher and then she went back to the window seat and called her mother on FaceTime.

‘Good morning, darling.’ Her mother looked as if she’d just come back from a walk outside; perhaps she’d been down checking on the lambs and this idea sent a now almost familiar pang of loneliness through Liv.

‘It is a good morning,’ Liv said, not sure how she was going to tell them why she rang. ‘Is Dad there?’

‘I’m here.’ He peered into the screen at her and her heart flipped with the love she felt for them both.

‘Good, perhaps you should sit down for what I have to tell you next.’

‘Oh, dear.’ Her mother’s face broke into a thousand furrows. ‘What is it? Is everything okay? What’s happened?’

‘It’s not that bad, but you need to know. I’ve just spoken to Eddie…’

‘Oh God, is he all right?’ Her mother again; perhaps her father expected bad news about Eddie as a default.

‘He’s fine. Hung-over, as usual since it’s Christmas, but I’ve broken things off with him.’

‘Oh?’ Her mother’s voice was high-pitched. It was, Liv realised, the very last thing she expected. Well, it was the last thing Liv had expected to happen this Christmas too.

‘It was time,’ Liv said simply. There was no point telling them about Anya. They would only worry too much. Maybe when she went down for a few days closer to the end of the week, she would tell them then.

‘How are you, darling? It’s…’ Her mother’s whole expression had drained. It was an expression Liv had seen many times in A&E on mothers’ faces as they watched their child fight their way out of whatever had brought them there in the first place.

‘I’m actually fine.’ Liv smiled and in that moment, she actually was. ‘I’ve had a big clear-out of his belongings. I needed to get the flat back to myself and I’m…’ What was the word…? She couldn’t call herself happy at this point, but there was something else.

‘Relieved?’ her father put in. He knew her so well.

‘Yes, Dad. That’s exactly how I feel. It’s like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I can breathe again for the first time in a long time.’

‘Thank God.’ Her mother breathed.

‘What your mother means is, she’s delighted that you’re all right, not that this has happened,’ her father put in hastily.