‘Yep. You can expect a phone call from her sometime soon, I’d imagine.’

Shit. He wasn’t looking forward to that call at all. She’d be irate; it had been a while since she’d really lost her temper at him – the last time was before she’d found out she was pregnant – but he was pretty sure she still had it in her to go off on one.

‘I also said that we’d support whatever decision Lindsey took, and would stand by the child, but that we wouldn’t expect you to let it get in the way of your studies. If you want to – and I hope you do – you can complete university. Your mum and I will help with the baby. And if you decide that Lindsey’s not the right person for you, then we’d support you breaking up with her. Obviously you – and we – would have to make sure you fulfilled your obligations to your child, but that doesn’t necessarily mean settling down and getting married at nineteen years old.’

‘OK,’ Matt said. He didn’t know how to say what a relief it was to hear his father say this; it was like a door in a dark room opening to show a path leading out into the light. ‘Thanks. I mean it. Thank you.’

‘I want to say something else, Matt. Maybe you and Lindsey will go on and be happily married for seventy years. I hope you do. But if you and her aren’t going to be happy, there’s no point – and you need to know that’s an option. Marrying your mum was the best decision I ever made; she’s been the source of my happiness – along with you and Tessa – for the last twenty-five years. And she will be for the next twenty-five. I want the same for you.’

‘Thanks, Dad. I love you. You too, Mum.’

‘I love you too, son.’ He finished his beer. ‘Now I suggest you put on the TV and wait for that phone call.’

The phone call came late, after Matt was asleep. He was woken during the night by the phone ringing. He looked at the alarm clock: 2.45 a.m.

He was about to get out of bed when he heard his dad’s voice.

‘Hello?’

There was a pause.

‘That’s fine, Craig. I’d rather you called if it’s important.’

Another pause.

‘What?’ His voice was shocked, but also something else. Angry, maybe. ‘Why would—’

This time the pause was long. A couple of minutes at least. Then his dad sighed. ‘I’ll talk to him. I don’t know what he’ll do, Craig, but I’ll talk to him. Thanks for calling.’

Then came a click as he put the receiver down.

Matt listened as his dad climbed the stairs. His tread stopped outside Matt’s door.

‘Dad?’ he called out. ‘Is that you?’