Maisie arrived home just after midnight. She couldn’t believe she’d allowed herself to fall asleep. She felt a mad desperation just to get home, be inside, see her kids. As the car pulled into the driveway she could just make out Bridie asleep on the sofa through the front window. That’s not right. She put her hand on the car’s door handle. She really needed to get inside. Guilt was weighing her down. The afterglow had dimmed and reality was setting in. I walked out on my mother and child to have sex with a man I’ve had one date with. What kind of a person does that?

As soon as the car stopped, she opened the door. ‘I have to go.’

He took her hand and stilled her. She couldn’t make herself face him, not in the driveway of her mother’s house.

‘I’m not going to push myself into your life, Mai. I know you have kids and a mother to take care of. We’ll take it at whatever pace you want but I can’t let you push me away either. OK?’

She took a breath and faced him. ‘It’s midnight, Fred. I need to get in to me family now.’

‘OK.’ He handed her a card. ‘Here’s my new mobile number. Use it, please.’

She took it. ‘I can never do something like this again.’

‘I understand, Mai.’ He was so kind and had been so apologetic when she’d woken just after eleven thirty. He’d half killed himself getting her home as quickly as he had.

‘Thank you.’ She smiled as she got out, then ran up the driveway and didn’t look back before she entered the house. She heard the car drive off as soon as she was inside. She made her way down the hallway towards Valerie’s room where music was seeping through the closed door. When she opened it she found her daughter fully dressed and passed out on her bed, one foot on the floor. She turned off the music, took Valerie’s shoes off and covered her with a blanket. Then she went quickly to the sitting room. Bridie was in her chair, fast asleep with a blanket thrown over her. It’s unlike Jeremy not to be able to sweet-talk her to bed. She began the process of waking her mother slowly, and practically carried her to bed. She stripped her and managed to put a nightdress over her head. Bridie was exhausted, way too tired to fight or to even try to help. She was a dead weight, eyes half open and glassy.

‘Where did you go to, Maisie?’ she asked drowsily.

‘Work, Ma.’

‘You’re a good girl. Don’t forget to leave the dog out.’

‘I will, Ma. Go to sleep now.’