Still, Chris was right about one thing – thank God, she hadn’t been working full-time when everything with Joshua had been going on. She recalled the conversation she’d had to have with her eldest son, or rather the few words she’d managed to get out of him after she’d picked him up from school following the meeting with the headmistress about the photo. Joshua had been angry; angry with the school for checking his laptop, angry about being caught with the picture, and angry with everyone thinking it was his fault. He hadn’t sent the picture. He hadn’t even requested it. Why was he in trouble?

And when Claire had tried to ask him about the boys from Colston Senior Boys School, he’d gone to his room, slamming the door, and Claire had heard the thump of music as he went to a place she couldn’t reach. She’d put her head in her hands for a few minutes before going to the kitchen and pouring herself a large glass of wine. She’d downed it in several gulps and that’s how Chris had found her, already halfway through the bottle. He’d barely acknowledged her when he’d come in and Claire lost it.

‘Where the hell have you been?’ shouted Claire. ‘I’ve been calling you for the last three hours.’

‘I messaged you,’ replied Chris, looking puzzled. ‘I’ve been in meetings all afternoon. Why? What’s the matter?’

Claire had felt herself crumble under his gaze. She didn’t remember getting any message but all she wanted to do now was unburden herself from the responsibility of parenthood, or at least share it with someone. As the story had tumbled out of her, the meeting with the headmistress, the sexting, her abrupt conversation with Joshua, she felt Chris take the load. When she’d finished, tears starting to form, he’d come over to her and wrapped her in his arms. She’d sobbed then, whether it was from sheer tiredness or the shock, she had no idea, but when she looked up into her husband’s face, she soaked up his reassurances like a sponge.

‘It’s all going to be okay,’ Chris had said. ‘Besides, Joshua’s right you know. He hasn’t technically done anything. All he’s done is exchange some messages with a girl. Did he ask her to send such a photo?’

‘No,’ replied Claire.

‘Well, then. It’s just some silly girl playing games with him. We’ll sort it. And,’ he added seeing the worry come back across her face, ‘he won’t get expelled.’

‘How do you know?’ asked Claire. It was her biggest fear.

‘Because I just do – we pay a shed-load of money for him to go there and, like we’ve just said, he hasn’t done anything wrong. I’ll call the headmistress tomorrow, okay?’ Claire didn’t reply.