We leant over the balcony together, and I held on to the rail tightly: the memory of my recent terror still fresh. And yet, was it only a few days ago? When I thought Zach had jumped?

I had my son still. He was still here, and his welfare was all that mattered.

But he was not mine to keep; I knew that too. He would grow, and go, and that was going to have to be all right with me.

I could only keep him safe for so long, whatever the outcome of all this was.

‘Zachy, come and talk to your old nan.’ Gloria turned in a fug of smoke and Lancôme’s Trésor. Fair play to her, she didn’t so much as blanch at his bruised face.

Zach had gotten up – was raiding the fridge behind our backs despite his recent feast.

‘Tell me about the football. Is your grampy’s team still beating everyone?’

‘QPR? Don’t think so, Gran, I’m afraid.’ Zach grinned, limped out to join her as she settled in the deckchair. ‘It’s all about Liverpool right now. And, Mum—’

‘Yes?’ I looked up, my heart soaring at the smile in his voice.

‘The police just rang me. Willow and Cecilia have both withdrawn their statements, so’ – there was a definite waver in his voice – ‘they’ve dropped the charges.’

‘Are you serious?’ I grabbed him. ‘They’re dropping all charges?’

‘Yep!’

He looked so young in that moment. ‘You’re absolutely sure?’ I hugged him so tight, he groaned.

‘That’s what they said. Mum, gerroff!’

‘At least Willow’s done something right now.’ I inhaled my child and then I let him go.

‘Second thing she’s done right today, Mum,’ he said.

‘What’s the first?’

‘She got in the way.’ He looked up, surprised. ‘When those boys came at me.’

‘Willow did?’ I thought I’d misheard. ‘Are you sure? I thought she’d attacked you too – that’s why she was in A & E.’

‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘She stopped the bastard kicking me in the head.’

‘Right.’ My vision was blurry as I went inside to compose myself.

‘Lord, boy, now I’m down here, you’ll have to pull me up again later,’ I heard Gloria say. ‘I’ll get you a steak for that shiner. Then you can eat it for your dinner. With chips. Has your mum got her fryer sorted yet?’

Later, drinking Gloria’s Havana rum, Ali and I began to watch the clip that had gone viral round the school.

Waiting to talk to Cecilia, Zach had lingered in the playground, and there the Year 12 boys had circled him. Someone was filming from a window; they got nearer as the action speeded up.

I could see the abject shock cross Zach’s face as one of the boys suddenly shoved him hard; so hard he stumbled backwards, almost losing his balance, dropping the crisps he was eating so they fell like confetti around him.

Zach had shoved the other boy back. Hard.