Joan dropped her gaze to the filthy floor, her jaw clenched. ‘She’s got help. I help her. I know how to clean and cook and do the washing. And I can buy food for us after school when she’s too tired. We’re in this together; we don’t need anybody interfering!’

I nodded. ‘I understand. My mum used to say that about me and her, too. But you’re a child, Joan. You should be concentrating on school and playing with your dog and amazing books that need reading, not having to look after your mum, and take care of everything else that needs doing.’

Her bony shoulders hunched over, trying to shut out the reality that they desperately needed someone to interfere.

‘Is that what you’ve been doing this week, when you haven’t been over? Helping Mum with the cooking and other things?’

Despite her furious frown, a tear managed to escape and slip down the side of her face.

I took hold of her hand. It was stiff and unresponsive, but I gently held it anyway.

‘We all need a bit of extra help sometimes, and that’s okay. Look at me – I’ve had so much help from you with Nesbit, and Yasmin. Remember when Steph and Drew helped me paint?’

‘She’s…’ Joan’s voice broke on a sob, before she shook her head in frustration, sucked in a deep breath and swallowed the tears back down. ‘She’s just been extra tired this week, so it takes longer for her to clean the houses and then she gets home later, so there isn’t as much time, and then she’s even more tired. Once she’s feeling better, she promised we’ll have a big spring clean and a sort-out and get everything nice again. We’re going to bake cakes and go on a picnic.’

I nodded. ‘That sounds lovely.’ I hoped Joan couldn’t sense my creeping fear that whatever Leanne’s problem was, it wouldn’t be better any time soon. Not without help, anyway. ‘But you know, most people, when they’re not feeling well, really appreciate someone giving them a hand. How about you jump in the shower, I’ll pop a load of clothes in the wash and then we can do some tidying up. We could even cook her a nice meal. That would be a lovely surprise to come home to after a long day at work.’

‘I’m fine. I had a bath yesterday.’

In a sweat-filled, grimy pond, maybe.

‘Okay. Well, you go and grab your school uniform, and whatever else you’ve worn this week, and we can put the washing machine on. We should have time to do your sheets and towels, too.’

Joan made a grunt of frustration. She swiped another tear away, squeezed both eyes shut and folded her arms. ‘It’s fine. We don’t need your help!’