Lisa stared at her. But instead of saying anything, she relaxed back into her chair. “Nothing.” She shook her head. “Just surprised by this revelation, I suppose.”

The feeling that Lisa wanted to say something more sat heavily in the silence that followed, but Cora didn’t want to pull at that thread.

“Ah, Cora. You are in a pickle.”

Cora groaned, dropped her head back. “I know.”

“Do you want to stay with Alec?”

Lisa looked at her openly, taking a sip of her tea. Cora shook her head. “No.” Her voice was low, like he would be able to hear if she spoke any louder. “I don’t. I want a divorce.”

“Oh, honey.”

Cora looked away from that sympathy. She turned her gaze up, eyes on the ceiling, vision blurring a little. With her lips pressed together, she took in a shaky breath, counted to five in her head, and then looked back to Lisa. “How’s your mum?”

Lisa took a second to answer, as if debating whether or not to let the topic change happen. “Worse. She doesn’t have many lucid moments anymore.”

“I’m sorry, Lisa.”

“It’s okay. It’s almost… This is terrible.”

“What?”

“It’s almost…easier. She doesn’t float in and out and get scared anymore. She’s almost…happier in her own world.”

“That’s not terrible. If she’s happier, that’s a good thing.”

“She’s not Mum anymore, though.”

Cora couldn’t imagine watching her parents lose themselves. They might not all be the closest, but Lisa had been close with her mum.

“She’s lucky to have you.”

“I was lucky to have her.”

“And the immigration authorities, with your dad?”

“Nothing.”

The urge to swear at them rose up, but in the end Cora just shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Lisa smirked. “At least I have your gay drama to keep me entertained.”

“It’s not gay!”

Lisa just sipped her tea.

* * *

“You want us to set you up on a date?”

Rob and Andy were staring at Frazer. It felt a little like she was sitting at a table with her parents and had just told them she was moving to another country.

“Yes.”

They looked at each other and then back to Frazer.

“Like, with a woman?” Andy asked.

“No, with a man. I’ve renounced my lesbianism.”

Rob snorted. Andy and Frazer both raised their eyebrows at him. “Sorry.” He said. “Just imagining you with a man. It was more entertaining than I thought it would be.”

“You know.” Andy was now staring above Frazer’s head. “It really is.” She laughed. “It just doesn’t work.”

Horrified, Frazer looked from one to the other, at their identical smirks. “Please stop imagining me naked with a man.”

“But it’s funny.” Rob grinned at her. “And strange.”

“Exactly why Andy’s question was ridiculous. Of course with a woman.”