‘Cue Jordy to explode,’ Aaron sighed, running his fingers through his hair in exasperation at the dramas going on all around him. ‘I discovered last night that Jordy had found out, but not the details.’

‘Jordy’s explosion was pretty comprehensive, by Harry’s account,’ she said sombrely. ‘Lots of shouting and slamming about. Poor kid was crying, with Rory trying to comfort him. When he heard I was going to London Harry pleaded to come so I gave them ten minutes to grab their stuff. They did it in eight. I’m sorry,’ she added. ‘I feel as if I’m sticking my oar in with Harry and Rory but I just felt they needed someone.’ She sounded almost defiant.

‘Thanks for being that someone,’ Aaron said. ‘But I’m worried what will happen to them next.’

‘Me, too!’ she agreed. ‘In the immediate short term they’re OK because they’re in the spare room of the apartment. They were very helpful last night finding their way here to fetch clothes and stuff for Will and Renée. It gave them something to focus on other than Jordy’s pyrotechnics.’

Aaron leaned on the kitchen wall, feeling its coolness through the fabric of his T-shirt. She’d said ‘here’ so did that mean she’d stayed in the apartment too? He was shocked by the weakness that sent a tremor through him. ‘Do you think Harry will come home with you?’ he asked experimentally.

‘I don’t know.’ She sighed. ‘Home’s got to be more than just a roof over your head. Harry has that in Nelson’s Bar but it doesn’t make him happy. Here, he’s got nothing but Rory, but that seems enough. Although,’ she added, when he didn’t immediately come up with a reply to that, ‘I’m not suggesting it would be fun for them to be homeless in London. Let’s just see what the next few days bring.’

‘Has Will been discharged from hospital?’ Aaron wondered just how many rooms the apartment had and where Clancy was sleeping.

‘Not yet,’ she said briefly. Then, ‘Mel’s just coming in. Can you do me a favour and let Harry’s parents know he’s safe and with me again? Rory’s rung his mum, who’s mega pissed off at Jordy, I understand, but I can’t get Harry to ring home.’

‘Of course. Thanks for looking out for him when you’re helping others through their crises too.’ He tried to imagine her day yesterday, miles away in a hospital he’d never seen with people who used to be very important to her. ‘And look after yourself—’

‘Sorry, I’m getting a beep, someone else is trying to get through,’ she broke in. ‘You look after yourself too.’

Then she was gone.

Slowly, Aaron replaced the handset. It was only when he turned and saw Lee was watching that he remembered he had anything else to deal with. He shook his mind onto a different crisis. ‘You’re obviously OK,’ he said to Lee, crossing the room to give him a hard, brotherly hug. ‘We’ve all been worried sick at you doing a vanishing act.’