The wall to the right of the TV was lined with colourful crates and opaque plastic organiser boxes. Lena counted sixteen without even moving her head. They ran all the way to the back of the room, in some places stacked right to the ceiling. A few rag dolls, some CDs and various office supplies spilt out here and there. The space between where she was and the at-least-neatly-stacked stuff around the walls was chaos. She could see at least five tables of various sizes piled high with paper and books and cardboard boxes like you got at the fruit and veg market. There were some more armchairs and lounges piled high with blankets and towels. Or probably, based on the sharp edges poking through, covered in other stuff over which had been thrown blankets and towels. The floor, where she could see it at all, had a light coating of papers and fabric.

Lena sank into the armchair. She could use up the entire roll of garbage bags, fill each one to bursting, and it would make no visible difference in here.

Her phone buzzed. She opened the message without thinking, was punished with a picture of an erect dick, gripped by a pale, hairless hand. wanna fuck i last much longer than that college fag

She blocked the number, was startled by her phone ringing in her hand. Mum. She contemplated not answering, knew the phone would keep buzzing at her until she did.

‘Lena. Jesus. What the hell have you got yourself into? Do I need to come down there?’

‘What are you talking about?’ Cool, calm, voice of a virgin who’s never been filmed so much as flipping her hair in a boy’s direction.

‘I’m talking about you letting Nic turn you into her personal home cleaning service.’

Relief like a shot of vodka through her. ‘Mum, it’s fine. I’m just making sure her place is safe for her to come home to on crutches.’

A deep, long sigh. ‘How bad is it? Really, Lena. Tell me the truth.’

‘It’s … pretty cluttered.’

‘Jesus. That woman is a bloody disgrace. S’cuse my French, but bloody hell. She has no right to drag you into her—’

‘She hasn’t dragged me. I want to help. And she’s your sister. Have some compassion.’

‘I used to, believe me. I had buckets of it. That woman drained every one of ’em. And now she’s doing it to my daughter. I won’t have it.’

‘Well, it’s not up to you. I’m an adult.’

‘You’re a sucker.’

‘Better a sucker than a bitch who turns her back on family in need.’

‘I’m a bitch, am I? Lovely.’

‘When it comes to Nic, yeah, you are.’

‘She’s never been able to understand that you’re not hers.’

‘I’m not anyone’s. I make my own choices.’

‘I’m trying to protect you.’

‘I don’t need protection.’