assumptions if they weren’t well off? She hadn’t gone to see them demanding anything. She’d gone there scared, vulnerable.
Praying they’d had a change of heart, she headed quickly for the hall, catching a glimpse of the lounge as she passed. Her dad was in his usual chair, glued to the telly with a beer in his hand. She knew that if he got the slightest whiff of money, he would be out after her like a shot, pretending concern, which was absolute bullshit. She could have died at birth and he wouldn’t even have noticed, but for the fact he wouldn’t have had an excuse to wet the baby’s head until he was too paralytic to remember he had one.
Unhitching her jacket, which she’d hung ready on the stair rail, she pulled it on, slipped out of the front door and headed up the path, skirting around the rusty carcass of an ancient Ford Focus that her dad was ‘doing up’. He’d been doing it up since Jack was born, seven years ago. It wasn’t going to go very far without the wheels he’d flogged to some bloke for spare parts, as her mum had pointed out.
Adam, who’d obviously been a good father to Josh despite the awful things he’d said about her, didn’t seem to think much of his efforts. She noticed him eyeing the car through the BMW’s window. Cassie was looking over the front of the house. With a smashed window boarded up upstairs – they were still waiting for the housing association to fix it; her dad was as likely to do it as he was to get a job – and yellowing net at the rest of the windows, it looked exactly like what it was. A sad, neglected property, starved of love inside and out. It was embarrassing, but at least it would convey why she’d been desperate enough to swallow her pride and go to the Colbys.
Cassie climbed out of their car as Kim reached the pavement. ‘Where’s Samuel?’ she asked, glancing anxiously past her.
‘With my friend. Don’t worry, he’s fine. She has a little boy of her own.’
Cassie nodded, but looked troubled. It wasn’t surprising, now she’d seen the circumstances Kim lived in.
‘Would you like to go and find somewhere to have a coffee?’ She smiled kindly. ‘Or we could just sit in the car, if you like.’
‘Do you mind if we drive around?’ Kim glanced nervously behind her. ‘It’s just I haven’t got much time and I’d rather not have my dad interfering.’ It might actually be no bad thing if he did come out. They would at least see what an aggressive Neanderthal he was, but they’d stand little chance of having a conversation.
‘No problem.’ Adam offered her a small smile as she glanced tentatively at him.
Feeling her cheeks burning, Kim dropped her gaze and cursed her pale complexion. She was always nervous under scrutiny, feeling as if she were being judged. She didn’t doubt that that was what was happening here.
‘I’ll sit in the back with you,’ Cassie offered. Kim noticed to her huge relief that her expression was sympathetic.
‘Thanks.’ She gave a grateful smile as Cassie opened the passenger door for her and slid in after her.
‘How’s your little brother?’
Kim sensed she was trying to relate to her, which was a good sign. ‘Good,’ she said. ‘He’s gone to bed with his new football tucked under his duvet. Mum bought it for him for his birthday.’
‘He’s obviously attached to it.’ Cassie smiled, fastening her seat belt as Adam started the car and pulled off.
‘I think he’s trying to make sure Dad doesn’t break it,’ Kim explained with a sigh. ‘He burst his last one when Jack kept banging it against the fence, so he’s not letting this one out of his sight.’
Cassie’s face fell, her gaze flicking towards Adam, who glanced in the rear-view mirror. Kim saw him draw in a breath.
‘I owe you an apology, Kim,’ he said. ‘For the things you must have heard me say the other day. I was concerned about Josh, his state of mind… I don’t know you, though, what you two had together, and… Well, I’m sorry.’
Kim breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She hadn’t been sure whether to believe everything Josh had told her about his stepfather, but he was obviously man enough to admit it when he thought he was wrong. ‘But you did say those things,’ she pointed out, her voice full of hurt. ‘You obviously think I’m