The journey back to Maddy's flat passed in silence, the only interruption being the soft purr of the engine and Maddy's occasional directions. "Are you going to be okay?" Linden asked five minutes after he'd pulled up, Maddy still sat in the passenger seat. "Oh Maddy" he sighed, noticing the tears rolling down her cheeks, he squeezed her hand reassuringly, "I can come in with you if you like?" Maddy nodded, "please" she whispered.

Linden helped Maddy from the car, waiting patiently for her to find her keys in the bottom of her handbag. "Do you want a drink or anything?" Maddy asked. Linden smiled, "Coffee would be lovely, milk two sugars?" Maddy nodded, "I'll go and make it, living room's through there" she told him, gesturing through a large wooden door. "would you mind if I used the bathroom?" he asked. Maddy nodded, "upstairs, second on the left."

Maddy walked into the kitchen, flicking the kettle on before pouring herself a generous glass of vodka, taking her cigarettes from her handbag and stepping into the garden. "Do you think you should be doing that?" Linden asked, appearing at the kitchen door, Maddy looked blankly at him, the cigarette quickly turning to ash in her left hand, until, with a flick of her wrist she sent it flying to the floor, "I don't. . . ". "I saw the pregnancy test in the bathroom". Maddy sighed and ground the cigarette against the bricks before pouring the vodka onto the concrete. "Great day to find out eh" she sighed, sliding to the floor. "Want to talk about it?" Linden asked moving to sit beside her, "What is there to say?" Maddy shrugged, "I slept with an idiot, my pill didn't work and now I'm pregnant and he won't even answer my calls".

"Maybe I should just get rid of it" Maddy suggested a while later as they sat in silence on the cool concrete, "I mean what sort of parents would we make anyway?" Linden sighed, "I think you'd be a good mum, I bet you were a great mum to Amy." Maddy shook her head, "if I'd not have walked out that day, if I'd have not been so bloody immature, she'd still be here today." "It was an accident Maddy, Why is it your fault for leaving? Why isn't it Dan's fault for not stopping her run out of the house? Why isn't it the car driver's fault for not stopping?" Maddy shrugged, "I was her mum" "and Dan was her dad" Linden argued.

"How old were you if you don't mind me asking?" Linden asked a while later "18, Amy was born 8 weeks after my 19th birthday." Linden nodded, "I wasn't much older when Holly was born" he confessed. Maddy smiled, "do you, do you see her much?" Linden shook his head, "no, no I don't". "Do you miss her." Linden nodded sadly, "More. . ." he paused for a moment, realising 'more than you could imagine' might not be the best thing to say, "more than I ever thought possible" he sad finally. "Why don't you see her then?" Maddy asked bluntly, Linden shrugged, "it's not that easy". Maddy looked at him, "you know where she lives?" he nodded, "with Olivia's parents" "and you miss her?" Linden nodded again, "I think you'd be a good dad." Linden smiled shyly, "She was the spitting image of Olivia but she was a daddy's girl." Maddy smiled, "go and see her then, before it's too late" Linden took Maddy's hand, squeezing it in his as he saw tears form in her eyes, "We'll see" he whispered.

Linden took Maddy back into the house, before telling her he was treating her to a takeaway, "don't tell me a pizza and some ice cream won't make you feel better even the tiniest bit better" he smiled when she protested. She pulled her phone from her pocket, as Linden went to answer the door to the delivery man. She dialled the number she'd dialed several times already that day, and once again it rang before going to voice mail. "Look, it's me, Maddy, we need to talk. Ring me. Please." Linden smiled sadly as he walked back into the room, He shook his head as Maddy opened her mouth, "you don't have to explain yourself to me"