Hannah nodded slowly in agreement. Her daughter-in-law was not a bad girl; as the years had gone on, she had become quite attached to her. Josephine was weak, that was her problem. She had no backbone. Jessie’s antics had been the last straw really. Her pregnancy had knocked them all for six, but it had broken Josephine. She had never recovered.

She had made her way round to Lana’s because, for the first time ever, Jessie hadn’t turned up at her house for a late lunch. She always came to her on a Thursday. Jessie saw her dad first, picked up her cash, and then she came straight to her nana’s. Hannah made them lunch, and they chatted together. It was the highlight of her week. But today she hadn’t shown up; that wasn’t right. Jessie never missed their lunch together. She had tried her mobile over and over again, and nothing – it had just rung. She had come round to Lana’s house in the end, hoping to find out something about her granddaughter. But it was obvious Lana knew even less than she did.

‘Has anyone seen Jessie today?’

Lana shrugged. ‘Not that I know of, Hannah. When does anyone ever see the mardy bitch? I could smack her face at times.’

Hannah sipped at her tea. She was aware that Jessie didn’t really bother with her mum’s family, and that pleased her usually. Nevertheless she still felt uncomfortable about Jessie being a no-show. As unreliable as Jessie could be, she always came round to her house on a Thursday. It was their little secret.

Chapter Ninety-Six

Chapter Ninety-Six

Jake was so boisterous and loud, Josephine could hear him even through the tightly shut French doors in her bedroom. He was tearing around the gardens as usual and, smiling to herself, she made her way out on to her balcony to watch him. His nanny, Dana, was chasing him, and he was easily getting away from her. She could see the glee on his face as he laughed loudly. Jake had such a lust for life. She saw him standing on the lawn, his hands on his hips. He looked so much like her Michael, she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. She thanked God every day that her grandson didn’t look like whoever had fathered him. It would have been very hard to look at the child if he had nothing of his family in him.