‘It’s not working. You must know it’s not working.’

She pushed all the empty drawers shut, making the dresser shake. The framed photo of her dad fell forward, knocking bottles and jars to the floor. ‘You were going to leave while I was out! After all we’ve been through together. All these years!’

‘I’ll write to you when we’re settled.’ He turned and left the room.

‘Where are you going?’ She followed him into the hallway. This was moving too fast. ‘You can’t do this. I won’t let you.’

‘My mind’s made up.’

He was facing away from her, trying to turn the latch on the front door. The box under his arm was too big to free his hand.

‘Please,’ she said. ‘Please don’t do this. Just give it a bit more time.’

‘You’re too late,’ he said, groping for the latch.

‘Let me take him.’ Mandy held her arms out to William. The boy looked back at her: watchful, alert, beautiful. She had half a mind to grab him and run. ‘Here, let me hold him while you do that.’

Steve turned to face her. ‘Are you crying?’

She nodded and wiped her face with the backs of her hands.

‘Here.’ He crouched down and let the box drop to the floor. ‘Hold him.’

William wrapped his arms and legs around her. She held him close and cried into his hair, tried to remember the heat and shape of his body against hers. She did not know how to live if he took the baby from her. She had been half alive before. ‘I’m sorry about what happened with Joe. I’ve been trying to make it up to you. I swear if you give me another chance I’ll do better. I’ll never let you down again.’

Steve looked down at the box at his feet, which was full of milk and nappies. He rubbed his thumb and forefinger over his eyes. ‘I know you’re taking the Pill. I found the pack in the bathroom.’

The hope leached out of her. ‘I swear nothing’s happened with Joe since—’

‘Don’t.’ He kept his eyes on the box. ‘Don’t. Please.’

‘I’ll stop taking it,’ she said, desperation making her voice rasp. ‘If you’ll stay, I’ll stop taking it. We can move away and we’ll be a family. We can bring William up together.’

‘You let me believe we were trying for a baby. All those months. You were on the Pill the whole time.’

She held William tighter. ‘I wasn’t ready,’ she said.

He opened the door and picked up the box. ‘I need to get on the road. Got a long drive ahead.’

‘I’m sorry.’ She followed him outside. The truck was full of boxes and bags. He must have been packing from the moment she left that morning. Her nose was running and she wiped it on her sleeve. ‘I’m so sorry, Steve.’

He threw the box onto the back seat and slammed the door shut. ‘I’ll give you a divorce. Best thing for both of us. No point prolonging it.’