‘I don’t know, darling. It’s too early to talk about things like that.’

‘If you don’t take me with you, I’ll run away.’

‘Indie, I need you here. I need you to look after your brothers and sister, to keep an eye on Mum and make sure she’s okay. It’s an important job and I’m trusting you to do it. Please.’

She looked at her father’s pleading face and knew that she probably owed him one now. ‘Fine,’ she agreed huffily. ‘But if anything kicks off, I’m out of here.’

‘Okay. Deal.’

She took a sip of her hot chocolate and then said, ‘How’s Benji?’

‘Confused, upset. I’ve already been in to see him.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she said again.

‘I know.’

‘I don’t want to come downstairs, to face Mum.’

‘I understand but you can’t live in your room forever.’

She smiled, despite herself. ‘Why not?’

‘Come on, Indie, you might as well rip the plaster off. I’ll come with you if you like?’

‘Or I could pack a bag and leave with you instead?’ she asked hopefully, even though she already knew what his answer would be.

‘Come on, Indie, I’ll be with you the whole time.’ He reached out a hand.

‘Promise you won’t leave me alone with her?’

‘I promise.’

She climbed out of bed and walked reluctantly down the stairs, sick at the prospect of seeing her mother. She was angry with her and terrified of her, and she wasn’t sure which emotion was going to win in a confrontation.

At the bottom of the stairs she almost bolted out of the front door in her pyjamas but Jack kept a firm hold of her hand and gently pulled her towards the kitchen. When they reached the doorway, she saw Angie sitting at the table. She heard the TV behind her and guessed that Ellie and Freddy were watching cartoons in the den. She wished she was with them.

Her mother looked up and fixed her gaze directly on her. She wanted to stare back, to prove that she wasn’t afraid of her, but she couldn’t stop herself from lowering her eyes. Her courage and self-righteousness from last night had gone. She braced herself for Angie to go at her full throttle. Instead the room was silent. What is she waiting for?

Finally she couldn’t take it anymore and she looked up, locking eyes with Angie, but her mum’s expression wasn’t what she had been expecting at all. She looked tired, sad and defeated. There was no hint of anger on her face. Indie, who was used to seeing her mother perfectly made up, confident and in control at all times, found the transformation unnerving.

‘Hi, Indie,’ she said.

‘Hi,’ she replied, moving slowly towards the kitchen table.

‘Can we talk?’

Indie glanced at her dad. He nodded reassuringly and sat down at the table, gesturing for her to sit beside him. After a moment’s hesitation she did.

Her mother frowned. ‘I think it would be better if we talked alone. Woman to woman?’