Continuing to watch, deeper puzzlement crossed through him as he saw Franny taking out a set of keys from her bag to open the front door of the smart block of flats. Suddenly, he ducked. She was looking his way. Shit. He hoped that she hadn’t seen him. Breathing hard, he waited a couple of moments before he sat back up. Watching and waiting.

12

Inside the flat, Franny, having taken off her jacket, unlocked the bedroom door to Bree. She had been going to leave coming to see her until tomorrow afternoon, but with Alfie going off the way he had done, well that had given her a window of opportunity to come and see Mia … Bree.

‘Hi, Bree.’

With her blonde hair scraped back, Bree looked at Franny, relief overwhelming her. She hadn’t known how long it was going to be before Franny decided to come back, especially as she’d let her imagination run away with her. Somewhere between being locked in the bedroom and now, she’d convinced herself that she’d be held there forever, especially with the mood Franny had been in. She hadn’t even got her phone to call, Franny had taken that as well. Simply put, she was at Franny’s mercy.

‘You’re back quickly, Fran.’

Franny stared at Bree. She looked like she’d been crying, which to her was ridiculous. What was there to be upset about? Bree had everything. It was almost as if she was staying at a five-star hotel, and like she’d told her on numerous occasions it wasn’t going to be forever – but as usual, Bree had to make a drama of everything. She narrowed her eyes coldly. ‘Have you got a problem with that because I can turn around and go if you’d prefer?’

‘No, no of course not. I’m just surprised, that’s all. You don’t usually come so soon between visits … Thank you.’

Stern-faced, Franny nodded, not particularly interested in having a long discussion with Bree, but her mood suddenly lifted, and her expression changed, a huge smile spread across her face as she glanced at Mia asleep on the bed. ‘She looks content.’

‘She’s been good.’

With nothing near patience, Franny, still smarting from the argument they’d had before and having been left feeling raw after seeing Alfie, snapped, ‘She’s a baby, of course she’s good. She’s not going to be anything else, is she?’

Admonished and looking glum, Bree spoke flatly. ‘No, no of course not.’

Sitting on the edge of the large king-size bed, Franny seemed to pull herself together and with her tone slightly lighter, said, ‘Anyway, I’ve got some good news for you. Alfie’s going to go away.’

A rush of emotions ran through Bree. It was the strangest of things, but the thought of Alfie leaving somehow upset her. ‘When? Why’s he decided to go all of a sudden?’