‘I’ll have to bell my mam soon; she will be screwing about me. Her nerves will be shattered. She’s a worrier my mam is.’

Tina flicked her hair back over her shoulders. ‘Yes, you’re right. I need to get you a cheap phone, something we can get rid of so it can’t be traced.’

‘Can I not have my own phone back? I’ve not been on WhatsApp or Snapchat since I came here.’

Tina rolled her eyes. Her tone was firm. ‘What have we spoken about? No social media and no phone. The police would find you in five minutes flat. We have to stick to the plan. Chris, go and get the shopping and you can bring the bag with the clothes in it too. I want to show Amelia just how well looked after this baby will be.’

Chris did what she asked but it was clear that he was unsettled.

Tina waited until he’d gone and sat down next to Amelia. ‘Let’s have a little feel of your tummy. I can’t wait until we can feel the baby moving about.’ She dropped her head to Amelia’s stomach and started to speak to it. ‘Mummy can’t wait to meet you. You’re going to be so loved.’

Amelia looked uncomfortable, but didn’t stop her and soon Chris was back with the bags. Tina started to pull out small items. Little cardigans, hats, bootees.

‘Look, Amelia, look at the size of this, imagine the baby in this.’ She was in a world of her own again.

‘Tina, love, put them away.’ Chris looked awkward. But his wife held the cardigan to her nose, breathing in the softness of the wool.

Amelia looked over and raised her eyebrows. The young girl clearly thought the woman was a couple of butties short of a picnic. She changed the channel and tucked her feet up under herself. Whatever happened from here, they were all up to their necks in it. Amelia rested her hand on her stomach. Sometimes, however much you want to go back, the only way through something is to face the unknown.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Ged was going back to school today and his stress levels were through the roof; his head was all over the place. Kevin was taking him, had told him that he wanted to have a quick word with the teachers to make sure he was alright, but Ged had refused point blank. No way did he want his old man coming into school and showing him up. He reckoned his dad was up to something too. He was cagey, shifty – and Ged knew no one got through a stretch in prison without getting good at keeping secrets.