She broke into a run, taking the stairs two steps at a time, her mother close behind still repeating her name, the question in it growing forceful, pressing down on Eva so that by the time she made it into her bedroom, the tears were flowing, sobs shuddering through her body. She went to the window and wrapped her arms tightly about her waist, attempting to both shield herself from her mother’s questions and brace herself for the inevitable relinquishing of the awful truth.

Abi’s hands gripped both of Eva’s upper arms; her eyes searched Eva’s face.

‘Tell me,’ she demanded, her voice low and very controlled.

‘I can’t,’ Eva wailed, shaking her head.

‘You and Ross. You’ve been having some kind of relationship. Is that it? Is that what all that shouting is about next door?’

Eva bit her lip, her face a streaming mess and nodded quickly.

‘Sweet Jesus,’ Abi breathed. ‘For how long?’

‘Since the summer.’

‘And now Becca’s found out. Christ, she’s probably killing him in there. Is it serious between you two?’

Eva couldn’t answer, couldn’t meet her gaze, but she felt her mother’s eyes flickering over her, the new understanding filtering into her consciousness. Abi dropped her arms, her hands withdrawing instantly as if scalded by the heat from her daughter’s body.

‘You’re pregnant.’

‘Mum—’

‘Oh, Eva! Oh, you stupid, stupid girl,’ she exclaimed and then her arms were around Eva drawing her into a hug that was almost savage. Love and anger beating away in time inside her.

Eva felt frightened. Even there in her mother’s embrace, the fear and shame still thrummed hard inside. But a tiny part of her exhaled with relief. She had told her mother, and she was still alive, still breathing. She wanted her mother to keep holding her like that, to feel the protective strength of that love, to feel the real truth in the words Abi had told her from the time she was a little girl: I will always love you, no matter what. But then there were voices outside, and she felt her mother’s attention moving towards the window.

Hurried footsteps across the driveway, Becca screaming: ‘Don’t you walk away from me! Don’t you dare!’

Both Abi and Eva moved instinctively to the window. Looking down, she saw Ross walking quickly, his face set, determinedly ignoring his wife who continued to screech at him: ‘Who is she? I have a right to know!’ Becca, normally so groomed and composed, looked wild and unhinged.

Eva put a hand to her mouth, an acrid taste of vomit at the back of her throat.

‘Don’t you dare tell me it’s not true! You’re a fucking liar!’