Chivonne was already unbuckling her brother’s seat belt. Michael Joseph was awake and smiling.

Inside, Donna ordered the children a large meal and milkshakes; a hamburger and coffee for herself and when Caroline only asked for coffee, she ordered her a hamburger as well.

Sitting at the table, Caroline said, ‘Thanks ever so much. They get so hungry, and they ate their sandwiches ages ago.’

Donna flicked a hand at her. ‘Forget it. How long have you been married?’

Caroline shrugged. ‘I’m not married. Wayne didn’t want to be tied down. I had the kids and he lived with me and still had his freedom. Or so he thought anyway. He never saw us without, not once. He always ducked and dived like, this was his first big one and he got caught. I could have murdered him when the Old Bill turned up. Smug bastards they were and all, but then you’d know that already. So he was nicked and eventually he got his sentence. No bail, nothing beforehand. I mean, we ain’t got the money for anything like that. Michael was six months old when he got the capture. Wayne was twenty-three. We’re the same age.’

Donna said, ‘You must have been very young when you had Chivonne.’

‘Just seventeen. I went out with Wayne from when I was fourteen. Never had another bloke in all me life. He was over the moon when Michael Joseph was born. I think that’s why he done the blag. We was rock bottom, see. Couldn’t pay the bills, nothing. He’d been out of work a good while. Couldn’t even go clipping because he was a known face and he knew if he got caught he’d be in for a four at least. Then the silly bastard goes and does the blag at Tesco with his mate, and now he’s away for eight years at least. Unless he pushes his luck, then he’ll do the whole twelve.’

Chivonne was listening to her mother intently as she was speaking.

‘He’ll be good, Mum, he told me he would.’

Donna dropped her eyes to her plate. Her throat was thick with tears again. The child’s acceptance of her plight was heartrending.

‘Come on, ’Vonne, eat your grub. You shouldn’t be listening to me talk.’

’Vonne, a beautiful child with long blonde hair and large green eyes, said impatiently, ‘I can’t help hearing you, Mum, because I ain’t deaf!’

Even Donna smiled at the child’s exasperated words.

‘So, what happened with your old man?’ Caroline enquired.

Donna found herself telling Caroline everything about Georgio’s trial and subsequent sentence. It was an unburdening. She described how she had taken over all his businesses and the mess she had found them in, and then she told Caroline how she had confronted him. Everything.

Caroline shook her head and frowned. ‘How long was you married?’