Tommy was my little brother, my mum had had him quite late on in life and he was just coming up to his sixth birthday. I loved him to bits, but felt guilty because he was so young and didn’t have any brothers or sisters of his own age to play with.

Mum, how’s dad? I asked, I had the feeling this was all about him.

She hadn’t mentioned him yet and it didn’t usually take her five minutes to start moaning about him. All the worst case scenarios began flashing through my mind, I tried to push them away I had to stay positive. If not for my sake then for my mums.

Your father… she began, staring off into a distant spot.

I rubbed the top of her hand, trying to get some sort of response. She turned to me, her expression cold and stoney. I hadn’t seen that look on my mums face for a long time, it was so devoid of any emotion and it scared me.

Beatrice honey, your father has left me.

I stared at the woman, her words didn’t make any sense. My dad couldn’t leave my mum, they had been together since, well…forever. They had two children, they were in love! I looked at her in disbelief as the seconds ticked by.

Trix did you hear..

Yes. I said, turning away and taking my hand off my mums.

I sat forward, trying to take it in.

Why? I asked.

Hes met someone else and says hes fallen in love. It was all such a shock and it all happened so fast, one day I came home and he had just packed all his stuff and said he was leaving.

Her voice sounded empty, as if her words didn’t mean anything. It obviously hadn’t sunk in for her either.

Who is it?

Whos what honey?

I took a deep breath, I had to know what heartless ***** had taken away my father.

Who does he think hes fallen in love with?

My mum went quiet, I turned to her. She looked very uncomfortable, fiddling with her hands in her lap and her eyes darted nervously around the room.

Mum?

That’s not so easy to explain Trixie, I don’t think you father is a hundred per cent at the moment. He might not be all there, upstairs.

I was lost, what could she possibly be trying to say.

Who is he with mum? I demanded, my fuse shortening the longer she stalled to answer my question.

Trixie, hes gone off with a man.