‘It’s a long story and I’m not sure what to tell you first. The thing is, you can’t get mad. Promise me that, because this was a family decision.’

‘A family decision? Without involving me? I want to know exactly what’s been happening, now.’

He nods in the direction of the kitchen and I let him walk on ahead, following behind in a daze. Pulling out a chair, I sit down heavily, berating myself for not pursuing my concerns that something wasn’t right at home.

‘Okay. I’ll tell you everything and then we’ll get everyone together. Hopefully by then you will have calmed down.’ I can see he’s still in a state of shock at seeing me here. ‘Where should I start?’ he tips his head back and a little sigh escapes from between his lips. ‘First off, our little sister is pregnant.’

‘She’s what?’

‘Calm down. It’s all going to be fine,’ he looks mortified by my reaction.

My hands fly up to my head as if it’s about to explode and I jump up, pacing back and forth.

‘Hannah didn’t want you rushing back, but she really needs her sister right now. She’s had to drop out of university. Mum will tell you all about it. Hannah has this hyper gravida something or other, which means she’s sick most of the day.’

I stop pacing and stare at him.

‘And no one told me? The decision to come back was mine, Owen, and you shouldn’t have hidden this from me. Poor, poor, Hannah.’

My head is buzzing.

‘Fern, stop right there. If we all pull together it’s going to be all right.’

‘Really?’ He avoids my steely gaze and continues.

‘The plan is that Liam will sell his flat and they’re looking for a modest three-bed home they can buy reasonably cheaply and fix up. I thought we could all give them a hand once you and Aiden got back, and my wrist has healed. I have leave I can take before I head off again.’

He sounds so blasé about it. ‘I can’t believe this.’

‘Well, I will admit that I had to fight the urge to turn and run the moment I saw you,’ he replies with a grimace. ‘We thought we had more time to get things… sorted.’

I realise I was the last person he was expecting to see when he opened that door. But I still don’t understand why he’s staying here. Slumping back down onto the chair, I turn to stare at him while in a daze.

‘There’s more, isn’t there?’

He nods, and I feel myself sag.

‘Dad set their kitchen alight when he left a frying pan on the ring while he went to answer the phone. They spent the best part of two and a half months living here while their kitchen was gutted and refitted.’