Joe sat down at the kitchen table and smoked a cigarette. He was sober enough – just – to know that his own voice, in his head, was starting to sound like his dad. Time to knock it on the head with the whisky and call it a night. He stood and tipped the dregs from his glass down the sink, ran the glass under the tap and drank some water. There was something his dad had never done in his life.

The credits were rolling on the TV. He was tired, but he didn’t fancy the thought of the empty bed. He’d just close his eyes on the couch while he waited for Lou. She’d be home any minute. This wasn’t what he was used to, was all. Usually she was the one at home on her own on a Friday night.

He woke to the sound of the back door slamming shut, movements in the kitchen. He tried to unfurl himself from the tense ball he’d slept in. His legs and neck were stiff, his mouth dry. ‘Lou?’ He sat up and listened. Nothing. He got himself up on his feet and called out to her again.

‘I’m in here,’ she said at last. She sounded strange.

‘You ok?’ He pushed the kitchen door open. She was sitting at the table with her head in her hands. He sat down beside her. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I need to tell you something.’

‘What?’ He pulled her hands away from her face. ‘What is it?’

‘I don’t want a car.’

He waited, and when she didn’t continue he laughed and rubbed her back. ‘You had me worried there.’

‘The money you want to spend on the car could get us home.’ She turned her chair to face him. ‘I don’t want to be here, Joe.’

He groaned, and put his hands on her shoulders. He didn’t have the energy for this. ‘It’ll get easier. Once we’ve got the car, we can—’

‘Listen to me.’ She twisted out of his grip. ‘The car won’t solve anything.’

‘How do you know? You haven’t given it a try.’

‘I knew you’d say that. I knew this was pointless.’

He held her eye a few seconds. ‘You’ve been talking to Mandy about this, haven’t you?’

‘I might have.’

‘For Christ’s sake.’ He sat back and looked at the ceiling. ‘What did you tell her?’

‘Never mind about that.’

‘I do mind. What did you tell her?’

‘I told her I want to go home before the baby comes. She persuaded me to talk to you about it.’

‘Some things are private, Louisa.’ He felt his voice rise. ‘Some things should stay between us.’

She stood, and her own voice rose to a shout. ‘I knew you wouldn’t listen. I knew you’d do this.’

‘I’ve worked my backside off for the car.’ He stabbed the air with his finger. ‘Months of overtime. And now this promotion. Do you have any idea—?’

‘I didn’t ask you to.’