She wasn’t thinking of Fergus as an actual person in his own right at this point, that was the crucial thing, Frankie realized. For Julia, he was still an object to be tussled over, a bargaining chip. ‘You know he’s got a place at Saint Helena’s primary,’ Frankie said carefully. ‘That’s just round the corner from us. He starts in September.’

‘Saint Helena’s? What’s that, some religious school?’ Julia shook her head. ‘No way. No kid of mine is being brought up religious.’

‘It’s not religious,’ Frankie said mildly. ‘It’s just an ordinary state primary school where all his friends are going. It seems really great, actually.’

‘Yeah, well,’ Julia said, and Frankie could tell – she knew – that Julia had not even considered the subject of schooling, or how that would happen. ‘I could sort something out.’

‘You’ve got a bedroom for him, have you?’ Frankie went on in the same mild tone, remembering Julia’s words earlier about dossing with a mate in their ‘shit-hole’ of a flat. ‘And you’ll be able to fit work in around looking after him, and taking him to hospital appointments, and all the rest of it? He still has to have check-ups, if you didn’t know, seeing as he was so poorly when he was little. Where is it you work, again?’

Julia scowled as if she realized where Frankie was going. ‘Look, if you’re trying to make out that I’m some kind of unfit mother, just because I don’t have a job or a house right now—’

‘I’m not,’ said Frankie quickly, ‘I’m honestly not. But the court will look at your circumstances and—’

‘Well, they can sod off and all, then, because he’s still my son, and nothing can top a mother’s love. Nothing.’ Julia was getting angry and, if Frankie wasn’t careful, she’d be flouncing off out of the café and this conversation would be over, her chance blown. ‘And I’m not the one writing about every detail of Fergus’s life in a national newspaper for the world to see, either. I’m not the one who’s taking away his privacy every bloody week!’

Touché, thought Frankie, lowering her eyes. ‘I know he’s your son. I’d never deny you that,’ she said after a moment, trying to calm things down. ‘I swear, I’m not trying to get at you. It’s just . . . there’s a lot to think about. Fergus is such a brilliant kid, and of course you should be part of his life, of course you two should have a relationship, but it’s a big deal. The court would look at what’s best for him – and how settled and happy he is right now – and—’

‘I can’t be bothered with this,’ Julia said, pushing her chair back with a squawk and getting to her feet. ‘I cannot be bothered.’