‘Yeah, she’s in there but she’s just been sat there for the last half hour talking to herself and I swear she’s hyperventilating. She’s not moved, Chris, I think she needs to go to the doctor’s. I had an uncle who done something like this and he got put in the bloody nut house.’

‘Just lock the door, will you, and shut up.’ He waited for her to go back into the living room and followed closely behind.

Chris took one glance at Tina; he could see straight away that something wasn’t right. He rushed to her side and held her hands.

‘Babes, I’m here now. Are you alright? What’s happened, why are you like this?’

Tears started to stream down Tina’s cheeks like someone had left the tap on. She turned to face him. ‘Chris, you’re my world and I love you with all my heart. I’m just mixed up in all this and I can’t get back out.’ She cradled her head in her hands, rocking, humming – a nursery rhyme that was barely a whisper. ‘It’s got to stop; I can’t do this anymore. It has to stop. I want it all to go away.’

Amelia stood over them. ‘What’s happening? She’s scaring me.’

Tina reached over and touched the side of her leg. ‘Go, love, go home. I’m not keeping you here anymore. Go home to your family.’

Amelia backed towards the door, unsure whether it was a trap. She spoke in a small voice. ‘What, you don’t want the baby no more? I can go? If you let me go I promise I won’t say a word. I’ll just say I scarpered to get my head around being knocked up. Tell my dad I was that scared I did a bunk. If I’m lucky they’ll be so glad I’m home that they won’t kick me straight out again on my arse. But is that it? The baby’s mine now?’

Tina screamed at the top of her voice to make her point. The walls shook. ‘Go home, get gone. Go and see your parents. Please leave me alone.’

The teenager looked behind her at the keys hanging in the lock. She hesitated for a few seconds, then darted to the door. Her hands were shaking as she turned the key. She was free, she could go home and see her family. She ran and ran, never once looking back.

Chris came to his senses first; he looked at the open door and panicked. He was involved in this too now and the police would be coming looking as soon as Amelia got home. He couldn’t believe she’d keep her word and keep her lip buttoned. He rushed out to look for her, looking first one way then the other, then sprinting down the street.