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Lucy felt it too – the tension was unbelievable. Beside her, Sarah was taking photos and videos.

‘Dylan’s playing brilliantly – he’s giving it everything,’ Darren said. ‘You can’t ask for more than that.’

The second half was the same, and it was still nil–all with three minutes to go. Lucy could see Dylan was beginning to tire – he’d run his heartout. He looked at her. She pointed to his boots. He grinned.

The St Jude winger ran up and crossed a high ball in to Dylan. It was too high. Dylan began to run backwards to try to catch the ball as it came down. Lucy watched him as he flung himself into the air as high as he could and just managed to connect the top of his head with the ball. It sailed over the goalie’s head and into the net.

The place erupted. Dylan’s teammates all piled on top of him. One–nil and two minutes to go. Those two minutes seemed an eternity, but they got through it, defended well and came out winners.

People came over to hug Lucy and pat her on the back. Everyone was talking about the striker who had saved the day. Dylan was the hero of St Jude’s, just like Lucy had dreamt he would be. She wanted to screamand jump and punch the air. He’s my son, she wanted to shout. The boy I raised alone, a hero.

Lucy was surrounded and basking in the praise of all the parents, past pupils and students when she saw him. He was standing talking to Mr Gough.

Her heart stopped and everything went really still. Gabriel Harrington-Black. Lucy began to shake. He looked the same. Older, greyer, but the same arrogantface. The same expensive navy coat. The same loud voice.

Everything around her seemed to quieten and she could hear his voice: ‘… Marvellous footballer. Is that the scholarship boy?’

Mr Gough nodded. ‘Yes, Dylan Murphy, a credit to the school and, indeed, his mother. She’s a single parent, you know, not easy.’

Lucy’s feet began to move towards them. She felt out of her body, as if she was watchingit all from above. She stopped in front of the two men. Mr Gough shook her hand enthusiastically. ‘What a wonderful performance. Dylan was incredible. I’m so proud of him, as I’m sure you are.’

Lucy was amazed at how calm her voice sounded when her insides were twisting and churning. ‘Yes, I am, very proud of him.’

Mr Gough turned to Gabriel. ‘Ms Murphy, this is Gabriel Harrington-Black, a formerpupil of St Jude’s and indeed one of the board members who signed off on the scholarship for Dylan. He was just saying what an incredible boy he is, a great addition to the school.’

Lucy smiled and looked directly at Gabriel. ‘Oh, I know Gabriel. We met a long time ago, almost eighteen years ago, if memory serves me correctly. I was at university with his son, Tom.’

Lucy watched with glee asGabriel’s face changed. Slowly he realized who she was. As he began to put the pieces of the jigsaw together, his eyes got wider and his mouth fell open.

‘Mr Gough,’ a parent called, and the headmaster left them alone.

‘You,’ Gabriel spluttered.

‘Yes, me. Lucy Murphy. Mother of the incredible Dylan Murphy. The boy everyone in St Jude’s is hailing as a hero.’

‘But how … I don’t …’

‘What? Younever realized that this boy was your grandson? Why would you? You refused to look at him when you kicked me out of your house all those years ago. Well, it looks like Lucy Murphy, the slut, tart and hussy, turned out to be a pretty good mother after all. Pity you’ll never get to know your grandson. You’d like him – he’s pretty wonderful, and so is his twin sister. But only grandparents who acknowledgetheir grandchildren and don’t treat them like filth on their shoe get the pleasure of knowing them. You’ll never be able to boast about your talented grandson at the bar with your friends because you rejected him and you gave up the right even to look at him. You stupid, stupid man.’

‘Mum.’

Lucy turned to see Kelly waving at her.

Gabriel gasped. ‘My God, she’s –’

‘The image of her father?Yes, I know. Pity he’ll never get to see her. That’s what happens when you abandon your children and run away to America, like a spineless rat. Well, I’m off to celebrate with my hero son. You have two incredible grandchildren and you will never know them. And you can tell Tom they never missed having a dad because their “slut” of a mother turned out to be pretty damn good. Goodbye.’

Lucy turnedon her heels and walked over to her children. She’d waited so long for that moment and it had felt so good.

‘Come on,’ she called to her family. ‘Let’s go and celebrate!’