I jump at the sound of Matt’s voice coming from inside the unlit lounge. ‘Matt, what are doing in here?’ I turn back around and see a dark shape on the sofa. ‘Why are you sitting in the dark?’ I switch on the light and stare at him in confusion. He’s hunched on the sofa, swigging lager from a can. There are several empties scattered around him, some on the sofa, some on the floor, as though he’s just dropped them there without a thought. He doesn’t even look up at me. ‘Matt? What’s wrong? Are the kids okay?’ My limbs start to tingle, and my chest tightens.

‘They’re fine. They’re at Mum’s.’ His voice is toneless. It makes me nervous.

‘What time are they getting back?’ I really don’t want them walking in and seeing Matt in this state. I start collecting up the beer cans from the floor.

‘They’re staying over at Mum’s tonight.’

‘What? Why? It’s a school night. They haven’t got—’

‘They’ll be fine. Mum’s taking them to school in the morning.’ He sounds annoyed, impatient.

‘What about all their stuff? Toothbrushes and pyjamas… Jess has got her guitar lesson tomorrow.’

‘I said they’ll be fine.’ His voice has hardened even more. He belches and drops his empty beer can onto the floor. ‘I need another drink.’

‘Matt! What’s going on? Why are you drinking in the dark? Why are you talking to me like this?’

He doesn’t reply, just lumbers to his feet and leaves the room.

‘Where are you going?’ My heart pounds uncomfortably as I follow him into the hall and through to the kitchen, where he opens the fridge and pulls out another six pack of beer. I drop the empty cans I’m clutching into the recycling bin and put a hand on his arm. ‘Matt, you’re scaring me. Why are you being like this?’

He shrugs my hand off and I flinch. I don’t understand what’s going on. Did he find out about me breaking into the Morris’s place? Is that it? My skin goes cold. Maybe if I start explaining. But I don’t know where to start and I don’t even know if that’s the reason he’s acting like this.

‘Matt! Talk to me.’

He breaks a can out of its plastic ring and pulls off the tab, pouring an indecent amount of the liquid down his throat in one go.

‘Matt, please!’

He looks at me for the first time since I got home, but his eyes are glazed and distant.

‘Can we sit down and talk?’ I beg.

‘We should have talked ages ago. You should have talked.’ Matt gives a bitter laugh and lurches past me back into the living room. He flops back down on the sofa.