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turned around, her face still like thunder. ‘OK. I promise I will be more communicative in future and I will give you an extra twenty pounds this week if you don’t leave me.’
    Inga thought hard.
    ‘No,’ she said defiantly. ‘I still quit.’
    Alana was too weary to argue. She knew that it was too late in the day to get help for the morning and in a way she was relieved as she knew her delayed hangover would not be a good one. She would just have to cancel her meetings and work from home. Stephen could sort getting her car back sometime. She texted him quickly to tell him to cancel the car arranged for the morning. She chose not to end it with a kiss, just in case his wife was around. After all, it was just another one-off, wasn’t it?
    ‘MUM!’ Eliska threw herself at Alana as soon as the front door shut behind her. ‘Did you get my computer game?’
    Alana closed her eyes, suddenly feeling an intense guilt that her daughter had not crossed her mind all day. She thought quickly.
    ‘Darling, I’ve ordered you one as the shop had sold out. I can pick it up tomorrow.’
    ‘But you promised it today,’ Eliska sulked.
    ‘Eliska, please. I’m very tired. It’s been a busy day. How about I make you a nice hot chocolate, you get your pyjamas on and we snuggle up in front of the telly for an hour?’
    Silence ensued as Eliska headed upstairs to her bedroom. Grateful she had managed to placate her daughter without too much trouble, Alana took off her smart jacket and put the kettle on. When silence still ensued, Alana began to worry. She slowly walked up the stairs to find her daughter lying on the top of her covers, curled in the foetal position with her thumb in her mouth. She was sound asleep.
    Feelings of love rushed through Alana, and she carefully pulled the duvet up over the sleeping child. As she quietly walked to the bedroom door and turned the light off, she felt a piece of paper underfoot. On it were just four words written boldly in one of Alana’s bright red lipsticks: I HATE MY MUM.
    Alana gulped and blinked back tears. Surely she wasn’t that bad a mother. Just as she was considering employing a child psychologist, there was a loud knock at the door. Thank goodness, Alana thought. Inga had come to her senses.
    She ran down the stairs two at a time and threw the door open. A tall, smartly dressed woman with grey hair in a neat chignon pushed her way past Alana.
    ‘Now, don’t dither, Lani,’ the woman slurred. ‘I’ve a fierce thirst on me and I want you to go and fix me a large Scotch.’

– Chapter Four –
    ‘Beans on toast tonight, kids, as you all had school dinners today,’ Joan Brown told her brood.
    ‘Can we have chips too?’ Clark pleaded, scratching his head.
    ‘No, but you can have chocolate ice cream for afters,’ Joan said wearily, going over to do a quick search of his crown for any further nits.
    ‘And chocolate sprinkles?’ Kent added as Cissy bashed her plastic spoon up and down on her high-chair tray.
    ‘Don’t push it, Sonny Jim.’ Joan pretended to clip his ear.
    She suddenly felt very thirsty again and poured herself a pint of water. She looked at her mobile that was on the kitchen table. Strange that Colin hadn’t texted to say he was going to be late. He was usually as reliable as clockwork. Just as she had that thought – beep – a text message appeared.
    Going late night shopping for invitations. See you later sweetness x
    ‘Silly old sod,’ she said under her breath. She was sure the precinct at Durton, where Colin’s office was, didn’t do a late night on a Tuesday. She called him to let him know and it went straight through to voicemail. She smiled as she heard his cheerful voice and began preparing the kids’ tea.
    They had been talking about having a joint fortieth birthday party for years and she couldn’t believe that soon it would be a reality.
    ‘Right, you lovely lot, television off whilst we eat.’
    ‘Oh Mum.’
    ‘You know the