Molly put her hamster in a box and placed it in the sun on her bedroom window sill knowing that Smudge would get very hot inside.

‘Sorry darling,’ her mother had said when she’d bought Molly the hamster as a consolation for missing school sport’s day at the end of term.

Now she heard Smudge’s little paws scrabbling about and it reminded her of her father’s fingers frantically drumming on the steering wheel only an hour ago.

‘Is that…?’ She’d asked, recognising her mother’s yellow Volkswagen parked in a lay-by under the cover of elder.

He’d swerved a little. Whizzed around the round-about and drove back from where they’d just come. Passing the lay-by once more, he slowed down, his face a mask of disbelief and despair.

‘Dad,’ she’d said when they got home but his expression put a stop to any reminder that they’d forgotten to buy bread rolls for her birthday barbeque.

‘I’m home!’ her mother’s voice broke into her misery. ‘Where’s my birthday girl?’

A short silence followed. Then, ‘What’s the matter, Paul?’

‘We saw you.’ Below, her father’s reply sounded broken.

Molly stiffened as her mother denied and cried while her father shouted. From the window sill, Molly heard those frantic paws scrabble. Tears streamed down her face. Lifting the lid, she took Smudge out from his cardboard prison.

‘Forgive me,’ she whispered as her bedroom door opened. ‘Don’t say sorry! Not again!’ Molly screamed at a mascara smeared face.