Sasha wished her mother would go to bed, but the old woman had insisted on sitting up until Kev came back home from the station – if he came back home, he could remain in the cells until morning. But then Ursula’s head turned at the sound of a car idling outside. A moment later, the front door opened and her husband walked in. He stood in the doorway, nodded wearily, and then disappeared. Sasha jumped up and followed him.

‘Kev, talk to me,’ she said as he started to walk upstairs. ‘What happened?’

He waved her off. ‘It was nothing, I was stupid.’

‘It wasn’t nothing, you punched our neighbour.’ Sasha lowered her voice, conscious that Nelson could be listening on the other side of the wall. ‘Are you being charged?’

‘Cautioned. I don’t think he’s going to take it any further.’

‘What a relief.’ Ursula blew out her cheeks in the doorway.

Sasha followed him upstairs to get away from her mother.

‘Is that it?’ She was tired of seeing him walk away. ‘Is that all you have to say?’

‘I’m going to bed.’

‘Kev.’ She took his arm on the dark landing, making him face her. ‘I think you need to speak to somebody, a doctor.’

‘It’s late, I’ve work tomorrow.’ He wouldn’t meet her eyes. ‘Can we—’

‘No!’ she hissed. ‘No, we can’t talk about it tomorrow, I want to talk about it now, Kev. Right now!’

‘I’m shattered,’ he said. ‘And want to go to bed.’

She felt all the emotion of the day press against her chest. When he tried to walk into the bedroom, she stepped in his way, determined to get him to open up to her. ‘Why won’t you talk to me? Kev, please, I’m worried about you.’ She could cry. ‘It’s me, you can talk to me.’

His breath rasped heavily. She waited, heart pounding in her chest.

‘You heard him.’ His voice was a fragile whisper. ‘You heard what he said, as if Jake’s…’ Tears welled in his eyes and his voice faltered. ‘As if it was my…’

‘Come on, Kev.’ She placed a hand on his chest, feeling all her love for him flooding back. ‘You can tell me.’

And then Denny’s bedroom door opened and her bleary-eyed son appeared. ‘I’m trying to sleep!’

‘Denny.’ Sasha fought to keep the impatience out of her voice. ‘Go back to bed.’

‘You’re being loud!’

Kev pushed past Sasha and slammed shut the door to their bedroom. She knew when she went in later he’d already be asleep, or pretending to be.

‘Get back to bed,’ she told her son.

‘Is Dad alright?’ Denny asked, an anxious quality to his voice.

‘He’s fine,’ she told him softly. ‘It’s been an upsetting day.’