Ever since Michael had let rip at her, she was deeply worried that they were never going to be able to recover. She had not seen him since – he had not even called her. She wondered if this was the end of the line for them. She didn’t even encourage sex any more – she didn’t want it. If she did succumb to him, she didn’t take an active part, she just lay there and waited for it to be over. Michael wouldn’t force her into something she didn’t want – he was too decent, too kind to ever make her do anything she didn’t want to. But now she wondered if she had inadvertently shot herself in the foot. He was still a handsome, vibrant man, and he could easily find a young woman to fulfil his needs. She had always believed that his love for her had been enough, but now she wasn’t so sure. She always looked perfect, but that wasn’t enough.

‘Will you answer me, Nana!’ Jake was cross, and his strident voice had broken into her reverie.

Josephine smiled at him. ‘I’m sorry, my little darling. What were you saying?’

But Jake didn’t answer her, he was feeling very cross. It was hard trying to talk to his nana when she was so obviously not listening to him. She never listened to him!

‘Please, Jake, I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear you. Nana has a lot on her mind today.’

Jake stood up, he had been sitting at her feet as usual, but he wasn’t in the mood for his nana’s strangeness today. ‘I’m going, Nana. If you won’t talk to me then I want to be in the garden.’

Josephine was mortified. Jake looked so cross with her. He really was Michael’s double – he even had her husband’s expressions, especially now as he stood before her with folded arms, his handsome face dark with anger.

‘I’m going to ask Dana to play with me outside and when Granddad comes home, I’m going to ask him when my mummy will be back.’

He stormed out of the room, and Josephine didn’t stop him. She sat back in her chair, aware that she should have chased after him, made him feel wanted. But how could she do that when, in all honesty, she didn’t really want to?

She leant down and picked up his sweet wrappers; he had eaten a Kit Kat and a miniature Mars Bar. She folded both of the wrappers up neatly and carefully and placed them in the box beside her chair.