‘I had no idea.’ Angie felt awful at the idea of Indie being upset at school or being the victim of mean behaviour by other teenage girls. How had she missed this? But she knew the answer already. Indie was right, she had been too busy and too self-absorbed to notice.

‘I wouldn’t worry too much,’ Jack said, as calm as he always was, like he was a bloody parenting expert. ‘They’ll all be best friends again tomorrow. Indie’s a popular girl, if anything I think the other girls are a bit jealous of her. And a fiver says she’ll have a new boyfriend by the time term starts and Noah will be kicking himself for having messed up.’

‘Did she say anything else?’ Angie couldn’t help asking.

‘About what?’

‘About me?’

‘What’s this got to do with you?’

‘Oh never mind, Jack, forget it.’ She felt irritated with him and wasn’t sure why, until she released her relief that Indie hadn’t brought up their row had been replaced by disappointment that her daughter had confided in Jack but lashed out at her.

‘Am I a good mother?’ she asked him suddenly.

Jack frowned. ‘Of course you are.’

‘I just don’t understand why she couldn’t have talked to me.’

Jack came up to her and she let him put his arms around her, closing her eyes and breathing in his familiar smell. ‘She’s a teenage girl, Angie, there’s no point trying to reason with her. Just let her be. She loves you and she knows you’re there for her.’

But despite his reassurances, she couldn’t escape the thoughts that were now consuming her. Her holiday glow was well and truly gone, a sticking plaster to hide the truth. She watched Jack all evening, scrutinising the way he was with Sophie, but there was nothing to see. They chatted and laughed like the two friends that they were and she tried to shake the paranoia from her mind, knowing that it would get her nowhere.

The next morning she woke up to find Jack lying on his side, looking down at her. ‘Morning, gorgeous,’ he said.

‘Morning,’ she said, wiping her eyes. ‘Jack, can I ask you something?’

‘Always.’

‘Are you happy?’

‘Christ, Ange, isn’t this a bit serious for first thing in the morning?’

‘Please, Jack, I need to know.’

‘Is this to do with Indie? I told you, you shouldn’t take it to heart…’

‘It’s not just that.’

He looked down at her, concerned. ‘Are you okay?’

‘I’m fine,’ she insisted. ‘Please just answer the question.’

‘Of course I’m happy.’

She wanted to talk more, to probe him, but Freddy barged in brandishing a book and hurled himself onto the bed. ‘Mummy, Daddy, can you read me a story?’

Jack lifted him up and settled him into bed between them. He began to read and the little boy snuggled up to him, desperate to be as close to his father as possible. Angie watched them for a while and then got out of bed and went downstairs to make coffee. As she was reaching for the mugs Indie emerged and approached her, eyes lowered.