‘Well, you don’t know he’s fine because he’s been staying here for the last two nights and this is the first time you’ve called.’ She didn’t want a row but she wasn’t going to let him get away with washing over everything either. ‘He was in a real state when he called me. You frightened the life out of the poor boy.’ Paul went to interrupt but Maggie kept going. ‘You have him to thank for saving your life. I hope you understand that if it wasn’t for Tom you would be dead.’

‘That’s a bit dramatic,’ he said with a half-laugh.

‘Not in the least. It is pure and simple fact. You were choking. It took Tom a number of attempts to dislodge the blockage. You were unconscious and probably had minutes before you’d have suffocated. And your son witnessed that. Alone.’ Maggie’s grip on the phone had tightened and her pulse was rising. She didn’t want to get cross with the man but it was hard not to when his irresponsible attitude had caused it all. She concentrated on her breathing and let the silence settle.

Paul cleared his throat. ‘Okay. Well, I hadn’t realised that.’

Maggie nodded to herself, happy that she’d got her point across. ‘Tom is obviously concerned that this could happen again.’

‘Can you ask him to call me when he’s back?’

‘I shall but of course it is up to him whether he does or not.’

‘Now look here—’

‘I’ll pass the message on. Goodbye, Mr Harris.’ It gave Maggie great satisfaction to put the phone down.

‘Was that Dad?’ Maggie spun around to see Tom was standing by the back door.

‘Yes, it was. He wants you to call him back.’

Tom shook his head. ‘I don’t want to talk to him.’

Maggie’s head bobbed in understanding. ‘Of course. But you will need to speak to him at some point. My advice would be to not leave it too long.’ She gathered the tin of nails and went to put her wellies on.

‘I wouldn’t know what to say to him anyway,’ said Tom. He leaned against the doorframe looking solemn.

Maggie paused with one wellie on. ‘Well. You need to be clear about what you want.’

Tom screwed his face up. ‘Dad’s not going to listen to a list of demands.’

‘I don’t mean like that. Surely you want your dad to make some changes?’

‘I want him to stop drinking and stop going on about money and stop trying to force me to work at the factory.’

‘Maybe one thing at a time,’ said Maggie. ‘There’s lots of options for him to get help with the drinking. You could suggest some of those.’

‘What like a threat? I won’t come home unless you join Alcoholics Anonymous?’ Tom seemed quite buoyed by the prospect.