For a horrible second he feared that she was going to be sick all over the fish and chips. Instead, she ran outside. Disaster averted.

Bill didn't give her the few minutes though. Realising that she was unwell, he followed her out. The smile and smell of the vomit made his own stomach turn. He had never been able to handle it well. Lottie had been the one to clean up after the children when they were sick, because Bill would vanish into thin air faster than she could turn around to ask for help.

But there was no Lottie around to handle this, and so he would have to do something. He approached reluctantly. "There now, lassie. Easy."

God, the neighbours.

"Come on, let's get ye in." He helped her get up and guided her in, firmly supporting her by the arms and hoping she hadn't vomited over herself. "Sit down, I'll clean that up." He put the fish and chips away in case it made her sick again - he had lost his own appetite. "Did t' food not agree with ye?" He put the kettle on. Then he took a cloth, poured some cold water over it from a jug, and handed it to her.