It all seemed like such a good idea at the time; a plan that would punish Mum for what she'd done and make me happy for the first time in ages.

I should have realised; the warnings were staring me in the face.

But it's funny what you don't notice when you want so very much to believe in something and someone.

You can go on kidding yourself for ages - until that moment when you realise that your life is on the line.

That's when you discover the real meaning of love - and sometimes it's not at all what you expect.