She nodded, sipped her coffee and realised this was the moment she’d been waiting for. Just her and Matt, no kids. A chance to have a proper conversation. She cleared her throat. ‘You know, Matt, I hate to say this, but you were right about me going full-time. It’s not really working, is it? I never see you, and when I get time with the kids, I’m too tired to enjoy it. I don’t think it’s good for any of us.’

Matt stopped chewing and stared at her. She carried on, glad to have his full attention. ‘My full-time contract finishes in a couple of weeks, though, so it should get easier when I go back to part-time, but I was just wondering if—’

‘What do you mean, it finishes in a couple of weeks?’ He looked horrified.

She frowned, not sure why this came as a surprise to him. ‘I told you it was only temporary.’

He dropped his knife and fork onto his plate, pushed the remains of his breakfast away. ‘I’m nowhere near finishing this piece of work.’ He shook his head. ‘I need another month at least, and even that’s…’ He grimaced, ran a hand through his hair. ‘No, it’s going to take longer than that probably.’

Sara’s stomach swirled as the implications started to register. ‘Well, it’s half-term in a couple of weeks, and I’ve got to be home when the kids are off school.’

‘But we need the money, Sara, can’t you see that?’ He banged the table in frustration, making her jump, spilling hot coffee onto her lap. ‘We’ve got the delay on the mortgage, and the bank are happy with the extension to our overdraft, but all that was agreed on the basis of you working full-time. If money suddenly stops going into our account, we’ll be in real trouble.’ He wiped his hands over his face. ‘I’m so close to cracking this thing. So close. But I can’t do it if I’m under pressure.’

He stared at her. She stared back, icy fingers clawing at the nape of her neck.

‘So I’ve got to see if the community centre will keep me on full-time, is that what you’re saying?’

‘Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m sure the girls will help out with Ezra in the holidays, and I can work evenings like I do now. But honestly, Sara, I need to keep going with it. We’re talking a couple of months at the most, then it’ll be done.’

She bit her lip, the idea of missing half-term with the children almost too much to bear.