Robbie wants to talk with you.

Steph’s text message arrived the next morning. Gab ignored it, but a couple of hours later, Steph texted again.

You can’t hide from him forever, Gab.

Gab was becoming frantic.

“Freya!” She blew into the kitchen with River on her hip, where Freya was making breakfast for herself.

“What do I do!?” Gab burst into tears as the rollercoaster of the last twelve months hit her like a steam train.

Freya came over and took River. Gab sat down on a stool at the bench with her head in her hands. Her stomach felt like the ocean in a hurricane and her eyes were blinded by sprays of torrential waves.

“What’s wrong, Gab?” Freya asked seriously. Gab hadn’t told her about Tory’s call. She’d just hoped it was a once off and that everything would go away.

Gab tried to breathe, but she was panicky.

“Tory … Robbie’s girlfriend …”

“Oh no.”

“She called me … and, and … she somehow found out about the party … and Steph messaged to say Robbie wants to … talk with me. What do I do, Freya?”

“Steph messaged you? Why Steph?”

“I don’t know. I mean … I do … Because it was Steph who told Tory! About me and Robbie … ” Gab stifled sobs.

“OH MY GOD! STEPH! I’m going to kill her!” cried Freya. “I mean, how dare she!” continued Freya. “This is none of her business. None!”

“Well, it was her party when …”

“No! No, Gab. It’s got nothing to do with her.”

Gab hiccupped. River tried to eat Freya’s hair.

“You’re caught right in the middle of it, little man, aren’t you?” Freya said to River, gradually detangling his chubby fingers from her hair.

“What’s Robbie going to do, Freya? Will he take River?”

“No, Gab, he will not. That is not going to happen. I know it’s hard not to race ahead to the worst possible scenario, but let’s take it a step at a time. So, Robbie wants to talk to you.”

Gab nodded.

“Okay, Gab. Talk to him. You’re brave. You can handle it.”

“I can’t.”

“You can.”

“I just can’t do it.”

“Okay. That’s fine Gab. But just remember—you did not cheat on Tory. Robbie did.”