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The whistle blew for half-time, and the teams gathered around their coaches. No doubt Tiffany, the coach, was telling Sally’s team they could get back into the game with some effort and a bit of luck; the electronic scoreboard showed a different truth.

Sally spent most of the second half on the bench, apart from an appearance for the last five minutes, when the game was well and truly lost. When the final whistle went, the teams lined up to shake hands – it seemed both welcome and somehow out of place in these post-Covid days – and then headed across the field towards their waiting parents.

It took a few moments before Mary realized that Sally was walking in the wrong direction. She was going to the far end of the field, where it met the car park.

And then Mary saw why.

Dylan was waiting for her, leaning on the hood of his scuffed black car, which looked as reliable and well put together as him.

‘Look.’ She pointed at Dylan. ‘He’s here.’

She set off at a march, aware that Ryan was following her, aiming to intercept Sally before she got to her so-called boyfriend.

‘Sally!’ she called. ‘Sally!’

Sally looked over her shoulder, and waved her mom away, but it was too late. Mary was closing on her.

She grabbed her daughter’s elbow.

‘Get. Off. Me.’ Sally was speaking through clenched teeth. ‘You’re embarrassing me!’

‘I have to show you something.’

‘No, you don’t.’

‘And anyway, I told you not to see Dylan.’

Sally rolled her eyes. ‘He came to my game.’

‘It doesn’t make any difference.’

‘I’m only going to say hi.’ She pulled her arm away. ‘OK?’

‘No. Not OK.’

‘Mom.’ Sally stared at her. ‘I’m going to say hi to him. You can’t stop me.’

Mary paused. Maybe she could, maybe she couldn’t, but she wasn’t going to find out here, in front of everyone.

Because she didn’t need to. She had the photo.

‘Fine,’ she said. ‘A quick hello. I’ll be waiting in the car.’

Her daughter’s scowl was replaced by an expression Mary had not seen for a while: surprise at her mother’s lenience.

Helping with Groceries

The rear door slammed shut. Sally crashed onto the back seat.

‘Don’t want to sit up front?’ Mary said.

‘No.’

‘OK.’

It was that bad, then. Her little girl didn’t even want to sit near her. She started the engine, and an alarm began to beep.

‘I think you need to fasten your seatbelt,’ Mary said.