I’d never been in an actual house before. I’d seen them on TV and I’d walked past them on the way to the shops with Mama, but I’d never been inside a real house. Our house wasn’t called a house, it was called a flat because it was flat – someone else lived on top and someone else lived underneath. Sometimes we could hear music or someone shouting from the other flats. I liked it when we could hear the other people because it felt like they were keeping me company but Mama didn’t like it when there were noises and sometimes she would put her hands over her ears and shout shut up shut up shut up so that her shouting was even louder than the noise and then I would go into a different room and sing with Teddy.

Anna brought me to the house because they still hadn’t found Mama and she told me I was going to stay there while they looked for Mama. A lady and a man lived there and Anna said they looked after children like me whose mummy and daddy couldn’t look after them for a bit but not to keep them forever. She said it would be just like being at home and I could do all the things I usually did at home, but I could see straight away that it would be nothing like being at home. It was like the houses on the TV where there was a mummy and a daddy and other children, the curtains were open and there was even a bowl of fruit on the table.

Anna crouched down next to me so her face was level with mine and said, ‘Now, if you’re feeling OK, I’m going to leave you here with Rhonda and Nick to show you your new room and let you get settled in. You or Rhonda can call me at any time if you have any worries or questions.’

‘And when will I see Mama?’ I asked. ‘If she goes back home and I’m not there she won’t know where I am.’

‘Don’t you worry about that – as soon as we find her we’ll let her know that you’re safe.’

‘And bring me home?’

Anna paused. ‘Um – yes. Once we’re sure that she’s not too … tired to look after you properly, we’ll bring you home.’

‘But until then you’re going to have lots of fun here!’ Rhonda chirped. ‘Why don’t I show you your room and then you can meet your new brothers and sisters?’

‘I have brothers and sisters?’ I asked. I was so excited. I wasn’t sure I if wanted a brother but I’d always wanted a sister. Someone else like me to play with.

‘Well, that’s what we call you all here,’ Rhonda said. ‘While you’re here, you’re all family.’