Luke glances behind him. ‘She won’t talk to me. She didn’t even tell me about your brother until she’d already been questioned by the police.’

‘You’re kidding?’

He shakes his head. ‘She’s told me I can’t mention it to the boys, which is madness, because at some point they’ll find out and then they’ll be furious we’ve kept it from them.’

‘I agree. They should know what’s happening, and preferably before one of their friends says something.’

‘She doesn’t want to talk about Danny, at least not to me.’ He gives me a sideways glance but I shake my head.

‘You’re not the only one.’

‘Yeah, well. She keeps shutting me out and ignoring everything, and to be honest, Stella—’ He breaks off and looks back at the house again. ‘To be honest, I’m sick of trying.’

‘Oh Luke, don’t say that.’

‘It’s true. She’s never wanted me to be there for her. It’s always you.’

I can’t argue with this. Bonnie has often reminded me, ‘Blood is thicker than water.’ The last time she said it was when I sat with her in rehab on the day she’d been released. ‘I’m glad you’re here, Stella,’ she’d said. Her small suitcase was packed and ready by her feet. Her eyes were wide as they gazed up at me like I was the older sister. She looked like a child, I remember, as we both sat there with renewed optimism that this time would be the last we’d see of the place.

‘Where else would I be?’ I said. I wasn’t surprised when it was me she’d called to pick her up and take her home. It was always me. Never Luke.

‘Who else would I ask?’ she’d said in return.

I wish I could remind her that blood is thicker than water when it comes to Danny, too.

Luke’s keys jangle loudly in his hand. ‘You know, it was never the case I didn’t want to be there,’ he tells me.

‘I know that,’ I assure him, though I hate the way he talks in the past tense.

He looks down at his feet, kicking a stone away. ‘I think she’s been drinking,’ he says. ‘Of course, I don’t know for sure because she won’t admit it to me and she does a bloody good job of hiding it.’

‘Shit. Shit.’ I look up at the sky. I could see there was something in her actions tonight but I hadn’t wanted to go there.

‘I’m sorry, Stella, but I can’t—’ He shakes his head and I catch a tear glistening in the corner of his eye. ‘I know you don’t need this right now.’