"Why are you dressed like that?" Ruby asked, wrinkling her nose at the sight of her mother in a dress and stilettos waiting for her after school.

"I had a business lunch." Katy replied, glancing up from her phone and smiling.

"You look fucking weird."

"Ruby!"

"What? You do." The eight-year-old shrugged.

"Firstly, what have I told you about swearing?"

"Don't do it when anyone else can hear?"

Ignoring her cheeky comment, Katy scowled. "Secondly, thanks a lot. I thought I looked quite nice."

"Weird." Ruby repeated, thankfully not swearing again.

"Fucking charming…"

"Mum!"

"I never said I couldn't swear." Katy muttered irritably. "Where's Ricky?"

"Which one?"

Rolling her eyes, the blonde shook her head. "Aunty Bianca's ex-husband. Obviously I mean my brother, Ricky…"

"Oh, him. I dunno."

Running her hands through her hair in an attempt to stop herself losing her temper with her daughter, Katy took several deep breaths. "Well was he ready to leave when you came out of class?"

"I dunno! I was talking to Mila."

"Is everyone deliberately trying to wind me up today?"

"I dunno, maybe."

"Right… I've gotta pick up Ollie too, for Tina." Glancing at her watch she chewed her lip. "Can you just wait here for Ricky and Amy and tell them where I am?"

Ruby shrugged indifferently. "Yeah, whatever…"

"What has got into you today?" Her mother demanded irritably.

"Nothing… god."

Unwilling to deal with her daughter's mood, dread filling her as she considered the fact that Ruby wasn't even going to be a teenager for just over another four years, Katy headed round to pick up the four reception children. She smiled as the Mitchell trio came racing towards her, before walking over to the teacher and asking whether Tina had let her know that she was collecting Ollie as well.

"Have you lot had a good day?" Katy asked, smiling at them. When they all nodded and started filling her in on the main events at the same time, she held up a hand and laughed. "Who thinks we should go to the park and get ice cream?"

"Katy? Can I have a quick word?"

The blonde's heart sank at the sight of the Y4 teacher waving her over. Shooting her daughter – and her brother who'd appeared in her absence – a look, telling them and Amy to watch the younger children, she made her way reluctantly towards the classroom door.

"What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted a word about Ricky. He doesn't seem quite his usual self, has something happened that might have upset him?"

"He's not his usual self in what way?" Katy asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. "What's happened?"

"I had to speak to him this afternoon for shouting and swearing at other children." The teacher admitted reluctantly. "That's not like Ricky at all."

"No… it's not. Sounds more like Ruby, if I'm honest."

"I tried talking to him, but…"

"I'll have a word." Katy assured her with a smile and a soft sigh, glancing over her shoulder to where Ricky was standing with the others, scuffing the ground with the toe of his shoe. "Thanks for letting me know."

Returning to the gang of children, smiling at Amy who was crouching to do up Ollie's shoe, Katy slung her arm causally around her elder brother's shoulders and gave him a slight squeeze. Repeating her question about ice cream, she grinned at the beaming faces, poking her tongue out at Ruby as the eight-year-old rolled her eyes.

As they headed towards the park, Katy huffed and kicked off her shoes. Amy laughed, asking whether she could try them on and pouting when her sister promised she could as soon as they were on grass and she was less likely to break a limb. There was no chance for Katy to speak to Ricky as they headed through the streets, although she kept a close eye on him and realised that he was much quieter than normal.

"Can I have a flake, sprinkles and sauce?" Jessica asked, tilting her head to one side and appraising her mother with an expression that was scarily familiar.

"Knock yourself out." Katy told her, smiling as she realised that Glenda was babysitting that evening while she was at work. When the post-sugar rush crash hit, it wouldn't be her who had to deal with it. "Ricky, what d'you fancy, babe?"

When they were all happily engrossed in their ice creams – Amy attempting to walk around the grass in her older sister's stilettos – Katy settled herself beside Ricky on the bench. For a couple of moments they sat in silence, before she nudged him gently with her shoulder.

"Anything you wanna talk about?"

"No."

"Ricky… your teacher told me that she had to tell you off today. That's not like you, is it? What's going on, sweetie?"

"Nothing!"

"I'm not buying that." His sister replied, arching an eyebrow at him. "Ruby's the Mitchell who kicks off in that class, not you. You're the one I can depend on."

"Are Dad and Aunty Ronnie–"

"Mum! Can I have a go with your shoes now?" Ruby demanded, interrupting him.

"Yeah, course." Katy waved a hand in her direction dismissively, eager for her brother to continue. "Ricky?"

"It's nothing." He muttered, sliding off the bench and heading away to join Matthew, Ollie and the twins.

Cursing her daughter, not for the first time that afternoon, Katy chewed her lip agitatedly. She was sure that he had been about to ask whether something was going on between their father and her mother. Either that, or he was going to ask her about something he'd seen or heard. The realisation that her nine-year-old brother must have picked up on the situation with Jack set her on edge, wondering who else had noticed something.

"Can we have dinner at Grandad's tonight?"

"You're full of demands today." Katy told her daughter, arching an eyebrow. She handed over her mobile. "You'll have to ask him yourself."

"Why?" Ruby huffed. "Have you had another row?"

"Course not. It's just short notice, that's all. Besides, I think Granny was looking forward to seeing you."

"Granny's looking after us tomorrow so you can do Pride."

Smirking, Katy shook her head at her daughter in amusement. "Babe… Granny's doing me a huge favour; please, please, please don't cheek her. If you do and she strops and won't babysit, I'm screwed." Seeing the expression on the girl's face, she scowled. "Don't even think about it, Ruby Veronica Margaret Mitchell. I haven't forgotten your birthday is coming up."

"Is Dad coming to my birthday?"

Katy froze for a moment. She was starting to think the Universe hated her with all the reminders of her ex at the moment. "D'you want him to come to your birthday?"

Ruby nodded. "Yeah… but only if you don't argue."

"Then he can come and I won't say anything."

"Well, I want you to talk to him… just being nice."

"I'll do my best."

"Is he still doing the custody thing?" The eight-year-old asked warily.

Katy smiled reassuringly, shaking her head and holding out her arms to hug her. "No. We've sorted it all out. Everything's fine."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Pressing a kiss to the side of Ruby's head, Katy was just about to suggest they got a take away for tea when Amy appeared at her side, looking incredibly guilty about something. As her sister arched an eyebrow at her, she held up one of the shoes she'd been tottering around in, revealing a snapped heel. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Katy peered at it, wondering whether she could just glue it back together.

"Sorry, Katy…"

"It's fine." The older blonde assured her with a sigh.

"Were they expensive?"

"You have no idea…"

"I didn't mean to break it."

"I know, babe." Katy replied with a smile. "It was a mistake… and I know better than most that mistakes happen. At least I didn't pay for them."

"Didn't you? Who did? Was it Mr Baptiste?"

With a snort of amusement, Katy stood up and started gathering their things. "Isaac? No chance! He's a teacher; he can't afford to throw good money away on expensive shoes."

"So who did?"

"Kids!" Attracting the attention of the younger children so she didn't have to answer the question, Katy led the way out of the park. "Who wants pizza for tea?"

"Can Ollie come?" Matthew shouted, running up to his sister and tugging on her arm.

"Course… well, I'll text Linda now and check it's OK."

They were already queuing up by the time Linda replied to Katy's message, thanking her for the offer. She smiled, assuring the older woman that Ollie was absolutely no trouble. After placing their order – completely ignoring the arguments from her sister that she wanted a pizza of her own – Katy did her best to ignore the sheer amount of sound that was being generated by the seven children swarming around her. She leant against the wall, tapping at her phone as she waited, blocking out the noise and the disapproving looks from the other customers.

Somewhere between the pizza shop and home, Ruby and Amy fell out. Katy had no idea what had happened, but the way they were sniping at each other was driving her mad. She had never been more relieved to hear the doorbell and see her grandmother standing on the doorstep.