Following her gaze, Jason could see why. Karla had made an effort, pulling on tracksuit bottoms and a T-shirt, but the fact was she looked pale and drawn, and more dishevelled than he did. Jason’s heart sank another inch. As much as he would like to undo all that had happened and take away the horrendous hurt he knew she was feeling, he couldn’t. It simply wasn’t within his power.

‘You’d better get your skates on,’ Karla said, with a cautious smile, ‘or you’ll be late.’

‘Like you care.’ Her forehead knitting into a scowl, Holly eyed her mother reproachfully.

‘Of course I care.’ Karla laughed, taken aback. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t up, sweetheart. I wasn’t feeling too well.’

‘Again.’ Holly stepped away from her pointedly. ‘Maybe you should stop drinking so much, and then you might feel better,’ she suggested, oozing sarcasm.

‘Holly…’ Bewildered, Karla spun around as Holly flounced past her to the hall.

‘I can smell it, Mum,’ Holly informed her, her tone flat as she thumped up the stairs.

Turning back, Karla glanced dazedly in Jason’s direction and then wrapped her arms about herself and dropped her gaze to the floor.

‘All right?’ Jason asked, taking a tentative step towards her.

‘Fine,’ Karla snapped. ‘Why wouldn’t I be?’

Josh scooped the last of his cereal into his mouth and scrambled off his chair in record time. ‘I’ll go grab my rucksack,’ he mumbled, wiping his hand over his mouth and skidding out after Holly.

‘Don’t forget to brush your teeth,’ Karla called after him.

‘I know,’ Josh said over his shoulder. ‘You don’t have to keep bloody well telling me.’

‘What?’ Karla whirled around again. ‘Josh, come back here.’

‘I can’t! I’m late,’ Josh shouted back.

‘Now, Josh.’ Her expression disbelieving, Karla started towards the stairs, and then stopped as Josh’s bedroom door slammed resoundingly overhead.

Sighing, Jason kneaded his forehead. ‘Go easy on him, Karla,’ he ventured, as she came back to the kitchen. ‘They’re struggling to understand—’

‘Really?’ Karla grabbed up the kettle and shoved it under the tap. ‘You do surprise me. I mean, why on earth would their worlds be falling apart, I wonder. Oh yes, now I remember. That would be because their father has chosen to take up with a trollop!’

Jesus. Glancing upwards, Jason drew in a sharp breath. ‘Don’t Karla. The kids…’

‘Don’t what? Tell the truth? Disillusion them? Don’t you think you’ve already disillusioned them enough for life?’ Karla turned tearfully towards him. She looked worse than he’d realised. Drawn, almost. She was losing weight. She really was beginning to look ill, and Jason had no idea what to do. What he could do. If she asked him to go, he would have to. As things were, though, he was too scared – scared for her, for the kids.