‘I mean, a hideous misunderstanding.’ Esther looked again at the article, her mind leaping to how Lucas would be taking what had happened: his precious job, his precious popularity, gone, the sledgehammer to his pride. Her ex-husband was maddeningly cocky, maddeningly charming, every student’s mentor as well as best friend; he revelled in adulation; he knew how to flirt, but he was not a man to make stupid and ill-advised advances to a barely formed adult. Besides, he had Heidi. It didn’t make sense. She reached into her handbag and pulled out a pack of tissues, handing one to Lily.

‘Have faith in your father, Lily. He’s going to need it.’

‘Mum, why the hell are you protecting him?’

‘I’m not. I’m just saying what I think,’ Esther countered quickly. ‘How’s Heidi about it all, anyway?’

‘Heidi? I’ve no idea, Mum. She was in Germany last I heard.’

For a moment Esther tried to feel glad, but it was all too ugly. She concentrated on Lily instead, getting up to put her arms round her, having to bend awkwardly because of her being on the lower stool and there not being much space. ‘Thank you for telling me, darling. I had a feeling something big was wrong.’ She cupped the back of Lily’s head, feeling her soften as she stroked her hair. ‘No charges being brought is good. Being suspended will be very hard for your father, but he is pretty resilient, as we know, right? And he will talk to you, soon, I am sure, once he has got his head round it all himself. Okay?’ She pulled back, holding Lily’s gaze until she had managed a nod. ‘In the meantime, I have reason to believe you are in possession of a quantity of chocolate, and if there was some tea to go with it, we could perhaps take both and settle in front of the telly for a bit.’

The suggestion was leapt on, and they were soon wedged snugly on the sofa, watching an episode of a Netflix drama that Lily was deeply into, about separated siblings finding each other as adults. They dunked their chocolate chunks in the tea, as they always used to, demolishing the entire bar, Lily saying it would make her skin even crappier than it currently was, and Esther lamenting the obstinate mound of her belly. Hugging out their goodbyes an hour later, Esther dared to believe that, for all the circling problems, they had at last found their way back to some of what had been in danger of getting lost. ‘I want more regular chats from now on, okay?’ she commanded from halfway down the steps.

‘Yes, Mum,’ Lily replied, blowing her a kiss. ‘You’re the best.’