‘Just one more thing,’ I said carefully. ‘I’ve been wanting to ask this for ages, but I was a bit scared. OK – I was massively scared.’

He looked up, alarmed. ‘What?’

‘Oh, it’s nothing bad. It’s just … if you wouldn’t mind – one day would you look for my mum?’ My voice shook, but I carried on. ‘I have no idea whether she’s in town today, and that’s the thing that’s stopped me asking you. What if she went shopping in Exeter and came back at five? You’d never be able to see her and that would be so crushing. But she might be here. I know I’m not born yet, but Sasha’s about six months old and that means Mum will be on maternity leave. I know it won’t be the real her. It’ll be an avatar, but still. You could maybe just have a little look? She’s Anna Brown, and they live at twelve Sheringham Road.’ I swallowed. That had taken everything I had.

‘Oh shit,’ said Joe. ‘Of course. I’ll do it tomorrow. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. Sorry. I haven’t got a phone that takes photos, but I’ll steal Gus’s camera. I promise that by the time I see you tomorrow I’ll have found your mum and your sister. It’ll be my first priority.’

We were smiling at each other when Joe vanished.

24

Twelve Sheringham Road is a nice normal house, with lots of plants growing in the front garden. It has a blue front door and about a thousand daffodils, which makes it look like a house from a story.

I’ve done my fake vomiting again, shooed Gus off to college this time and here I am, skipping school so I can stalk Ariel’s mum and baby big sister.

I look at the front of the house. I can’t knock on the door because I don’t know what I’d say. I could just explain to Anna Brown, but I don’t want to upset her.

Then again it’s not the real her. I can do anything.