She'd originally helped her mother in picking her nursing home for her own convenience, because it was close to UCOS. Now though as the cab carried her and her daughter to a hotel close to the nursing home, she couldn't help the voice in her head telling her to run as fast as her legs could carry her. Each mile they got closer to the hotel they also got closer to the UCOS office which meant she was closest to the someone that if he saw her with Olivia, she would have a lot of explaining to do.

The car came to a halt outside a familiar hotel and quickly she bundled Olivia and herself with their stuff into the hotel.

"I have a reservation." Sandra told the receptionist.

"Name?"

"Pullman."

"Yeah, room 216. Do you need any help taking your stuff up to your room?"

"Erm, yes please." Usually she'd have insisted on doing it on her own but as she looked down she noticed just how much they had with them. A man in a bellboy uniform came and took their stuff as Sandra and Olivia sat in reception while Sandra filled some forms in.

"Sandra Pullman?" The fact that someone was calling her name was the stuff of her nightmares but fortunately it wasn't Olivia's dad, instead it was one of her old friends, Esther.

"Erm yeah. Hello Esther."

"There's no need to look so scared. I didn't know you were back in town." Olivia peered her head around from where she'd hidden behind her mum. "Who's this?"

"Erm, why don't you come up to our room and I'll explain?"

"Yeah okay, doesn't look like my friends coming anyway."

"So Sandra, why didn't you tell us you were coming back?" Esther asked.

"It was kind of a last minute decision."

"So why are you back?"

"Mum's not well."

"And who's this?" Esther asked as Olivia peered over at Esther.

"My name's Olivia." Olivia told the older woman.

"Well hello Olivia, I'm Esther."

"Olivia it's time for bed now, Esther can you give me a minute?"

"Sure."

Soon Olivia was tucked up in bed and by now was dead to the world.

"Esther you can't tell anyone that I'm here, or about Olivia."

"She's your daughter then?"

"Yeah."

"How old is she?"

"3 and a bit." "Who's her dad then?"

"It doesn't matter but he doesn't know so don't say anything to anyone."

"I won't. She's gorgeous though Sandra, the spitting image of you."

"Thank you."

"Well I should be getting to Brian and don't worry I won't tell them you're here. I hope your mum is okay and if you need anything while you're here then just text me."

"Thank you and I will do."

With Esther now gone Sandra felt sick with worry that her secret may not remain a secret for long. She lay in bed but sleep wasn't consuming her like it normally would do, instead panic was. Her baby across in her bed was fast asleep without a care in the world, unfortunately Sandra couldn't do the same. As well as the panic a sense of guilt was building at the fact that she was treating the most important thing in her world like a dirty secret.