her clothes, Samuel safe out of harm’s way – at her friend’s, she’d assured Cassie. Adam had picked up the cot and the baby’s few things, which she’d left outside early that morning while her dad was sleeping off last night’s skinful and her mum was out cleaning. She didn’t have much else, she’d told them, and Adam had immediately started ringing around for furniture while Cassie went online for bed linen and things for the nursery, making it clear to Kim how much she wanted her grandson in her life.
Noting the time on the landing clock, she tried to quell her nerves. Adam had been at the house in Hibbleton earlier. He’d already purchased and organised the delivery of a washing machine and a fridge/freezer for her. He was a good man. He clearly had loved Josh as his own. Kim hadn’t been sure what to think of him when she’d first met him, but now she was getting to know him, she realised she liked him.
He and Cassie had agreed to pick her up and were due any moment. Going into her bedroom, she was alarmed to see Jack standing in his PJs staring down at her overnight bag and the clothes strewn on her bed. ‘Jack, did you have a bad dream?’ She looked him over, concerned.
Her little brother turned to face her, his eyes full of bewilderment. ‘Are you going to live in your new house tonight?’ he whispered.
Kim went across to him. ‘Yes, but it’s not far away. I’ll still be taking you to school and picking you up. And you’ll be visiting me lots. We talked about it, remember?’ Crouching down in front of him, she noted his fearful expression and her heart dropped. As far as Jack was concerned, she’d been his mummy, the person whose bed he crawled into whenever he had nightmares or when their dad was raving drunk. She got him up for school while their mum was at work, made sure he had breakfast and socks on his feet. It was Kim who tucked him up at night and read him his bedtime stories so he could escape his harsh reality and live in a glorious fantasy world where all men were heroes.
‘When can I come?’ he asked, making a brave attempt to stem his tears.
Kim made sure to look into his eyes. ‘Soon,’ she assured him. ‘You can stay with me at weekends. Would you like that?’
Jack nodded fervently, his gaze flitting to the door behind her. He was worried their father might overhear something that would set him off. It wasn’t difficult. A simple hello when he was drunk, or in one of his foul morning-after moods, was enough to do it.
‘I’ve written my number down for you,’ Kim said, giving him a reassuring smile and getting to her feet to grab the note with her mobile number on, should there be an emergency. ‘You’re to call me if you need me. Any time, Jack. If you’re frightened or worried about anything, ring and I’ll come.’
‘Promise?’ he asked, his hazel eyes wide.
‘Promise,’ she assured him, taking hold of his hand to lead him back to his room.
He was scrambling into bed when her phone signalled an incoming text from Cassie. Hope everything’s OK. We’re not far from you. Are you good to go?
Kim keyed in a short reply. Ten minutes. I just have to tuck Jack into bed and grab my things. See you outside. Taking a breath, she went to give Jack a firm hug.
‘Mum will be home soon,’ she assured him, her heart aching for her little brother, who would be lost without her. She didn’t want to leave him, but what choice did she have? ‘Close your eyes and dream about superheroes and magical things,’ she said, reaching to turn on the fairy lights she’d taken from her own room and strung around his headboard. ‘I’ll see you very soon, okay?’
Jack nodded, but didn’t close his eyes. Swallowing back a lump of emotion in her throat, Kim ruffled his fringe and then hurried back to her bedroom. Quickly she stuffed the last of her things in her bag, did a final sweep of the place she couldn’t wait to see the back of, then tiptoed along the landing. Part way down the stairs she stopped, her heart skidding against her ribcage as she heard the downstairs loo flush. There was a loud belch as her dad emerged to head across the hall to the