A week later, the heavens opened, each day as dark as the next, with rain so heavy that we got soaked going to and from school. ‘You need to get a proper brolly, Mummy,’ Lumin complained as I tried to cover her with the only umbrella I had. ‘My socks are getting wet,’ she moaned.

‘I know, sweetheart, I’ll get one this weekend.’

A gust of wind lifted the umbrella from my hands, turning it inside out. We watched as it tumbled down the road.

‘Bugger.’ I quickly pulled Lumin’s hood over her hair and grabbed her wet hand. ‘Quicker we get in, the dryer we’ll be.’

‘But the rain’s going down the back of my coat, Mummy!’

I stopped, examining her coat. The hood was attached with buttons and the rain was seeping in between the gaps. She was absolutely soaking. I looked at my watch. We had just two minutes to get to school. I could go home, get a dry blouse for her and a new umbrella, but then we’d be late, not great considering we were just a week into the school year.

‘Here, let me help,’ a voice said through the rain. A huge umbrella suddenly appeared over us.

I turned, grateful, then froze.

Chapter Nineteen

Mairi was standing in front of me, her dark eyes on Lumin. She crouched down in front of her, examining her face. ‘Aren’t you a pretty thing?’ she said in her distinctive Scots accent.

Lumin looked up at me with questioning eyes.

‘W-w-w-hat are you doing here?’ I asked in a stuttering voice.

‘You best get her to school,’ Mairi said, eyes in mine. ‘Take the brolly. I’ll wait for you and I can explain then.’

I opened my mouth then closed it, not knowing what to think, what to say.

‘Go,’ she said again. ‘You’ll be late, the school won’t take kindly to it.’

I blinked then nodded, took Lumin’s hand and ran into the school with her, turning to look over my shoulder at Mairi.

‘Jesus Christ,’ I whispered, eyes filling with tears as the full weight of the situation dawned on me.

‘Are you okay, Mummy?’ Lumin asked.

‘Of course,’ I said, pulling myself together. ‘Just shocked at how wet we both are. Here, give me a cuddle,’ I said, wanting to draw comfort and strength from her. She gave me a big cuddle, then ran off towards her class. I watched her for a few moments, delaying the inevitable. Then I took a deep breath and walked back outside.

Mairi was standing in the rain, her long brown hair getting soaked now she didn’t have her umbrella. But she didn’t seem to care. Instead, she had a look of determination on her face.

She knew Lumin was Dylan’s. I could just tell.