She didn’t tell him that stripping the varnish and painting the old boards took her the best part of two weeks, that it gave her splinters in her hands, that her knees had felt bruised for ages, but she sensed that he’d guessed at least some of that. He understood.

Anna closed the door and hugged herself, euphoria spiralling through her. She hadn’t felt like this for a very long time.

Not since she was fifteen. Her happiness curdled.

Look where that had ended.

GRACE

Saturday, 5 May 2018

KAI’S VOICE BREAKS. I JUMP OUT OF BED, TUCKING THE phone between my shoulder and my ear as I pull on my jeans.

‘I’m on my way. I’ll be with you in five minutes. Don’t worry. Stay in your room and don’t answer the door without checking it’s me first.’

I scribble a message on the back of an envelope and place it against the kettle where Tim can’t fail to see it, then I hurry out.

Kai is wearing his pyjamas with an over-sized green hoodie, his hair spiked in opposing directions. I get him to tell me what he knows, but it isn’t much. He’d woken in the middle of the night because he’d had a bad dream. He got up and went to the loo, and peeked in on his mum, but she wasn’t there. He phoned her mobile number, but she didn’t pick up. He kept trying, leaving messages every few minutes, then found the class address list and called me.

‘I’m sure she’s fine.’ It’s difficult to think of anything to say that will reassure him. ‘Does Mum have a boyfriend?’

‘I don’t know,’ Kai says. ‘But I think there might be someone, because she’s sometimes whispering on the phone.’

‘That’s probably what’s happened,’ I say brightly. ‘She’s out on a date, but she decided not to tell you in case it didn’t work out. She’ll be back soon.’

He doesn’t look convinced.

‘Kai, why did you call me instead of one of the other mums?’

His lip quivers.

‘It’s all right. It doesn’t matter.’

He wipes his nose on the sleeve of his hoodie. He’s trying so hard not to cry, it makes me want to. ‘I thought she might have gone where Lottie’s stepdad went.’

‘Oh, Kai.’

His reaction is entirely understandable. Lottie’s stepdad vanished, and the police have been here asking questions. And now his mum has gone. I’m not sure whether to hug him or not, but when I put a tentative arm around his shoulder he leans into me. ‘Of course she hasn’t. I expect she’s lost track of time. Please don’t worry.’ I feel his skinny body shaking with tears and draw him closer to me. ‘Everything’s going to be fine.’