‘Are you staying for dinner?’ Freddie asked. ‘Are you going to stay here again? Can you read me a bedtime story? Can I show you my lightsaber?’ Freddie dived off the sofa and ran up to his room to search for it.

‘Wow,’ said Paige, standing up and turning to face Nick. ‘He’s grown so much. His face has changed. I’ve missed him.’

‘Have you?’ This time Nick couldn’t stop it. The words were out of his mouth before he could even think about the consequences.

Paige raised her head, indignant. ‘Of course I have. He’s my son and I love him.’

That didn’t stop you leaving though, did it? Nick clenched his teeth. ‘We haven’t heard from you in months, Paige, and then you just turn up without a word?’

She dropped her eyes downwards and he noticed that she wasn’t wearing her wedding ring. The pain rose again. He hadn’t exactly expected her to. She had left after all, but its absence was noticeable.

Freddie came charging back downstairs in his stormtrooper outfit, waving the lightsaber in the air. ‘Look, Mum.’

‘I’ve made you some squash, Freddie. You should come and have a drink.’

‘Okay. Can I show Mum my game?’

‘Of course, mate.’ Nick cupped his son’s face and ran his thumb over the soft skin of his cheek. He must be a mess of emotions inside. Happy, sad, scared, relieved. He felt similar. There was too much. It was crazy. Freddie gulped down the juice and went back to sitting next to Paige who had retaken her seat.

Nick entered the living room and sat down in the armchair furthest away from her. The conversation was, as Nick had expected, dominated by Freddie, and he didn’t blame his son one bit. He had six months of things to catch up on and who knew how much time he had to say it in.

Time ticked on without a word between them and when they spoke it was cold and polite. He had to feed Freddie and that meant either throwing Paige out or asking her to stay. He didn’t want to do either. He just wanted her to disappear again so things could go back to how they were a few hours ago. A few hours ago, he was getting his life back, moving forward. He’d connected with someone magically and unexpectedly, and now his life was in tatters again, but if he didn’t ask her to stay, what did that say to Freddie?

‘Paige, are you joining us for dinner, or do you have plans?’

‘No plans,’ she replied a little shyly. ‘I’d love to stay if that’s okay?’

It wasn’t, but what else could he do? Freddie stared between them, and Nick smiled to let him know everything was all right.