Donny checked the clock on the wall for the hundredth time; Susan would be here any minute. He was sweating, smoking like a chimney even though he knew she’d go off on that too. Might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. But, what if she left him on the spot – bin-bagged him right there and then – what would he do? His mind was racing, he couldn’t think straight.

A key in the door. He froze.

‘Donny,’ she shouted from the hallway.

‘In here, love,’ he replied, doing his best to keep his voice level.

Susan hung up her coat and walked into the room; she could tell just by looking at her husband that something was wrong, terribly wrong.

She dropped her car keys gently onto the table.

‘Donny? What’s up? You look a mess. Oh my God what’s going on?’ There was a pause. ‘Please tell me it’s not the gambling. I thought you were on a lucky streak – enough left over for some treat money. I still remember the time you were down after a bet and those guys came knocking. But you told me you always settled what you lost now and all that shit was over. This is why I keep telling you to pack it in.’

Donny swallowed hard and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. ‘Susan, love. Just come and sit down, please, just sit down.’

Susan was looking at him intently as she took a seat next to him on the sofa. He reached over for her hand and squeezed it tightly. She could feel how sweaty his palms were. What the fuck was going on?

‘Babe, I need to talk to you about something. It’s from my past and I hope you will understand how much of a shock it’s been for me.’

Now it was his wife’s turn to swallow hard. Susan clutched at her chest. ‘You’re scaring me, Donny, just tell me for crying out loud.’

Donny knew he just had to get the words out. There was no other way to do this. ‘When I was younger, before you, long before you, I was seeing some girl called Bethany. It was just a kid thing, we were only together a few months.’

Susan was holding her breath and he could already see her body was trembling. Donny forced himself to continue.

‘I don’t know how to say this, only I have to tell you. She’s been in touch. Told me her son, Dan, is mine. And what’s more, he’s just joined Second Chance.’ He dropped his head and cringed, waiting for her response.

Nothing, not a word.

Susan stood up and walked out of the room. Donny rushed after her into the hallway and put his hand on her shoulder to try and turn her round to face him. She grudgingly looked at him before she spoke.