Nearly a week since Trudy arrived, she and Jeff finally went out for the evening be themselves. Lucy said she had work to do at home, so the two of them decided to go for a meal. There was a nice Italian restaurant at the very end of the high street where some of the staff had gone for Meryl's birthday, and Jeff thought it would be a great place to take his mother.

They were seated quickly and ordered their food before the topic of conversation turned to Jeff's life before he had moved.

'Dad's been building a model railway in the loft. At the moment it's just a green table with a single train, not even a track, but he's working on it. Besides, it keeps him occupied and gives me some peace, so I have no problem with it,' Trudy started.

'He always wanted to do that, didn't he?'

'He wanted to build one with you and your brother when the two of you were little, but neither of you would have any of it.'

'Sarah kept offering to help! You know she loved trains.'

'Your sister was better off at school than messing around with trains. Not something for a young girl to be interested in. You wouldn't see her letting her Natalie help Richard build one, would you?'

Jeff had his doubts. He was sure his sister Sarah would be more than happy to let her daughter, Natalie, play with trains, and that Richard, Sarah's husband, would be equally as happy to build her some. However, he knew it was not wise to say this to his mother.

'Young Jessica sends her love, as well, you know,' Trudy stated, carefully.

Jeffs head shot up, 'Jessica? My Jessica? How is she?'

'Oh she's "your" Jessica now, is she? Didn't seem that way when you walked out on her.'

'I did not walk out on her. She knew I wanted to take the job at St Aidens, we talked it through and we decided it was best for us both if we split up.'

'Well, whatever happened, she's fine, still single, but fine. Why don't you give her a call, see if you can't work things out.'

'Mum, I'm not interested. I have a new life down here and she needs to make a new life for herself too.'

'Yes, what a great life you have here. A job that pays badly and could disappear at any moment, a tiny flat and no friends. Think what you could have with Jessica. You two were saving for a house and a wedding.'

'There was never going to be a wedding. You're the only person who doesn't understand that. In the end, Jessica and I didn't love each other any more. She's one of my best friends, and always will be, but we aren't in love. It's as simple as that. We both know it.'

'No, I don't believe you. The two of you were childhood sweethearts, you were inseparable. What could have changed so much?'

'We've changed, mum,' he argued, 'We've grown up. We're different now to when we were twelve or sixteen or even eighteen. That's just the way things are.'

'You know who's fault this is…' Trudy began.

'Don't mum,' Jeff warned, sensing what she was about to say.

'That tart Lucy.'

Jeff took a deep breath to keep his cool, 'Mum, how could it be her fault when Jess and I split up months ago?'

'If it wasn't for her then you might have called Jess by now and be back together.'

'No, I wouldn't. We're finished mum, you just have to accept it.'

'How can you say that? After all those years you spent together, all the times you were there for each other, all the things you went through together. How can you just walk away like she never existed? It just breaks my heart to see…'

'Mum!' Jeff interrupted loudly, standing up, 'Jess and I are finished. We came to the decision together and I still believe it was the right one. If you can't accept that I have moved on then that is your problem, not mine.' With that he walked out of the restaurant and out into the night.

He arrived home some five hours later and found Lucy and his mum sat in the living room waiting for him. As he entered the room, both women stood up.

'I just wanted to make sure you were okay,' Trudy said curtly, examining him for a minute, then storming off to her room.

The remaining two winced at the force with which the door was closed. There was silence in the room as they looked at one another. Lucy was trying to work out how to approach the subject, and Jeff was trying to work out how much to tell her. In the end, it didn't matter. She walked towards him and he held out his arms. They stood locked in their embrace for at least five minutes, before Jeff spoke.

'Can we go to bed now, please?' he asked.

Soon they were curled up in the bed and fast asleep.