By the time she’d reached the ring-road, the rain was really coming down in sheets: water drumming on the car roof and spraying against the windscreen, great wide pools already appearing on the tarmac. Inside the car she was still crying, the tears coursing down her cheeks, despite her efforts to dash them away on her sleeve. And then, maybe it was the wet road, or this brief lapse in concentration, maybe it was even her having given up and no longer caring, but suddenly her wheels went skidding beneath her and the car swerved across the next lane. There was the sound of urgent hooting and, with a thud of alarm, she saw that another car was barrelling down towards her. Horns blared. Rain thundered. She hauled at the steering wheel, she pumped at the brake, she heard herself giving a scream of fright.

And then everything went black.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

So here she was again, Paula thought, walking through the car park towards the entrance of the terminal. Round Two of ‘Airport Cross Your Fingers’ – although this time, at least, she was pretty sure Jeanie would actually be on the flight home, accompanied by Harry, seeing as they’d both already texted her that morning to say they had checked in and were on their way. Paula wasn’t one to tempt fate, but it seemed as if the stand-off between her parents might finally be over, and she was looking forward to putting the turbulent events of recent weeks firmly behind them. Not that the saga was completely resolved, mind, what with the Frankie situation still ongoing, but one thing at a time, eh?

The airport was busy as she entered, with people queuing back from the check-in counters and harassed-looking staff attempting to direct them. Over in the Arrivals area, Paula spotted Dave already waiting there, checking the screen for information, takeaway coffee cup in hand. ‘Hi,’ she said, going over and giving him a hug. ‘Long time no see. How are you? We must sort out a pub night sometime, I feel like I haven’t caught up with you properly for ages.’

‘I know, same,’ said Dave. ‘Although I take it you’ve heard about John, have you? I’m not sure he’ll be coming to any family get-togethers in the near future. Sounds like he’s lost the plot.’

‘John? What do you mean?’ asked Paula. She’d never had a reply from her text to him the other day, come to think of it. ‘What’s going on?’