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The ticking of the clock was becoming louder and louder as the second hand slowly moved past midnight; he was expected home from work at six but there was still no sign. It was the 3rd night this week that Paul had made a late night stop off at the Lady's Club: that he swears is just a local pub off the A1. Jennifer was becoming fed up with the constant excuses that would come out off Paul's mouth as he stumbled through the door at around 2am' I got held up at work, I lost track of time at the pub. Following this would come weeps of sorrow and apologies: I am sorry, you know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you. It would all end the same way, Jennifer would head straight to bed not saying a word to him when he walks or should I say falls through that door, Paul would end up sleeping on the couch and neither of them would say a word until he got home from work that following day. However, for some reason tonight was different; Paul got home at 12:30, he was attempting to fit the key in the hole but as he went to reach forward for another try, the door was opened and he fell straight onto the landing at Jennifer's feet. She picked him up and through him back out into the street and following right behind him was a suitcase, that of course had all of his belongings in it. Jennifer yelled;
'I have had enough of you! I spend all day at work and when I get home at 3 I have to pick the kids up from school, make them tea, clean up the entire house and then put on a happy face for the kids and explain why daddy is never home to see them! What am I supposed to say, sorry kids daddy doesn't love you enough to come straight home from work to spend time with you, no he would much prefer to watch other women at a strip club!!! I have had it up to here with you and your excuses I don't want to see you ever again, just find somewhere else to stay for the night.'
That was all that was said that night as the door was slammed.

The following morning Jennifer woke up at 7am as if it had just been a normal night, she woke the children ready for their final day of school before they broke up for their summer holidays; all anxious and excited the children didn't give a second thought to where their dad was or who's to say they even cared. All rushed trying to get the children ready, Jennifer refused to let herself think about Paul as she didn't want to upset the children and herself. Running late for school Jennifer loaded the kids into their Mazda 6 and sent them off to school. Once she had said her goodbyes to the children for the day she raced back home whilst calling into work to say that she was unable to come to work today due to personal issues. As soon as Jennifer got through the door she fell straight to her knees and was reduced to tears, nearly making herself sick. When she had calmed herself down she walked over to the phone and rang up her father, as she could never rely on her mother for anything. The phone rang for several seconds before her father, John, answered it he said hello in a cheerful manner as he was always a happy man.
In floods of tears Jennifer replied back to her father,
'Dad' I threw Paul out last night! I couldn't bare living with him anymore I was worried about the effect that he was having on the children. I don't know what to do, have I made the right choice in leaving him? Oh dad, I am so scared.'
'Calm down sweetheart, just explain to me what happened last night?'
'Well once I had put the kids to bed I'. I sat up waiting for him to come home from the strip club as I do most nights and I couldn't waste my life wait around for him any longer. So I went upstairs and packed his belongings in a suitcase and waited by the front door. Once he came home I lost my rag and threw him out. Oh dad what can I do!?'
'Listen you did the right thing you just need to calm yourself down. He doesn't deserve you, do the children know what has happened?'
'No, not yet I dropped them off to school and I don't want them to know just yet. But I don't know where to go I can't stay here any longer it reminds me too much of him.'
'Listen, why don't you come and stay with your mother and me for a while, it might do you some good?'
'Dad, sorry but I can't if I do that I will never be able to move on and the children may suspect something is wrong I just don't want them to know yet. I will call Thomas later I am sure he will take us in, it is out of this area and we will be able to start to make steps in moving on. I just need your support.'
'But darling Sheffield is so far away.. You need stability right now, it will be best for the children if you stay with us, they don't know Tom all that well?'
'Dad I have already made my decision I just need your support and I wanted you to know where me and the kids will be staying for a while just so that you didn't worry. Listen to me.. I love you and mum so much but I need to get as far away from here as I can. I love you but I must go now.'
'We love you so much.. Be safe and call me when you get there bye'
'Bye Dad'
Once Jennifer had pressed the button to hang up she raced upstairs as fast as she could, just in case Paul was to return, she just didn't want to have to deal with him. She went into the spare bedroom and got out all of the suitcases that she could find, and then she headed into Maria's room. She looked around at each pink wall and the memories of bringing her first daughter home after she had given birth all came rushing back. 'It was the night of September 1997 at about midnight on the 21st, Jennifer and Paul entered the house holding Maria in a pink blanket; as they headed upstairs the dreams of how perfect their life was going to be would be rushing through their heads, but not to know what the future held for them. Jennifer kept thinking it was the start of something new and extraordinary, her maternal instinct was there and I don't think it ever left her.' All of the memories were spinning around in her head even though she tried to keep them out, it just made her more and more depressed the more she thought about it, and packing all the kids toys wasn't making it any easier. After she had packed all of Maria's room it was empty, she stood in there for around five minutes just staring around the room, and as she walked out she closed the door gently behind her as she didn't want to look in there any more' it was the start of a new life for her and the children.