‘I take it my letter arrived safely?’ Julia went on in a conversational tone. She was wearing cropped jeans and a bright-pink T-shirt, her wild spiralling hair pulled back under a navy headscarf. She looked radiant and Earth Mother-ish, her skin a healthy golden, her teeth white in her smile.

‘Yes,’ Frankie replied guardedly. ‘It did.’

‘Excellent.’ Julia leaned against one of the swing posts as if settling in at a bar. ‘And what did Craig have to say about the contents?’

What did Craig have to say? Absolutely nothing that could be repeated in a children’s play area, Frankie thought to herself. ‘He . . . he’s still mulling it over,’ she fudged.

‘Ahh,’ said Julia, her expression giving little away. ‘Well, he needs to hurry up and reply,’ she went on in a brisk, businesslike manner. ‘Because, obviously, if he won’t even attempt mediation to resolve the issue, then I’m legally entitled to go to court and issue an application for a child arrangement order. Just saying!’

The words sent a seam of ice splitting Frankie’s heart. Julia clearly hadn’t wasted any time ascertaining her rights and the procedures she’d need to take. ‘Right,’ she replied dully.

Julia flashed her another toothy smile. ‘Anyway. More importantly – hello, Fergus,’ she cried, stepping closer to the swing and wiggling her fingers in a little wave. ‘Remember me?’

Of course he doesn’t remember you, Frankie wanted to snap. You left him before he could even sit up, let alone form his earliest memories. Remember you? He doesn’t even know you exist!

Fergus was kicking his legs with exuberance, ignoring the interruption. ‘Faster, Mumma!’ he yelled imperiously. ‘Do a rocket again!’

‘Oka-a-a-ay,’ Frankie replied. Maybe if she and Fergus just closed Julia right out, she would go away. ‘To the moon, this time. Are you ready? Are you holding tight?’

‘He calls you that?’ Julia asked, arching an eyebrow. ‘He thinks you’re his mum?’

Frankie flinched, finding the other woman’s presence ominous. What was she even doing there? If she thought Frankie was about to be manipulated into making introductions amidst the happy shrieks and laughter of the children’s playground, turning Fergus’s small world upside down with revelations, then she had another think coming. ‘Yes,’ she replied curtly, giving Fergus a push. Yes, he calls me that. Because in his eyes, that’s exactly who I am. All right?

A flicker of emotion crossed Julia’s face, before she strode a few steps further so that Fergus could see her better. ‘Hey, Fergus,’ she said in a wheedling sort of voice. ‘Hey, buddy, I brought you a present.’

Frankie found herself gritting her teeth. Oh, really? You’re going to bribe him now, are you? ‘Julia, I’m not sure this is the time or—’

The word ‘present’ had caught Fergus’s attention, though. ‘Mumma, who is that lady?’ he interrupted, trying to twist round in the swing.