‘It was Simon,’ she answered, dabbing her face with a tissue. Looking at the mascara blotches on it, she explained, ‘He split up with me and I was so hurt.’

I hoped what she was saying was true, that her not being there did have something to do with Simon.

‘We were having some problems and he left me, Phoebe. He was supposed to drop me to your basketball game. Instead he left me,’ she said, starting to cry again.

My heart felt heavy. ‘Why didn’t you catch a cab, or get the train and the bus like you said you were going to? Why are you only seeing me now? I’ve been here since last night.’

‘I was really sad, Phoebe,’ she blubbered. ‘You know how hard things have been for me. I tried calling you. I thought you decided to abandon me too, and stay at Dad’s by yourself.’

I did know how hard things had been for Mum, but I could also smell alcohol on her, and I could see how washed-out she was. She’d obviously had a big night. Maybe she got home in the middle of the night, oblivious that I was in hospital, being cared for by my coach, Jamie and his mum and people that had never laid eyes on me before.

‘Mum, Caitlin flew all the way back from New Zealand to care for me,’ I said, starting to cry again. ‘You need to go,’ I managed to force out, pain shooting through my head again.

‘I’ve only been here a few minutes—’

‘Yeah, and you should have been here the whole time. You should have been at the game. Your job is to look after me, Mum. That’s what you’re supposed to do.’

‘If that’s what you need then,’ Mum said, looking distraught.

‘Yep, that’s what I need. Can you get Caitlin for me?’

Mum kissed me on the head, blubbering like a baby, and I said angrily, ‘Please go,’ smelling the booze more clearly. I started to understand why Dad got furious when Mum messed up.

After a few minutes, Caitlin walked back into my room with a jug of ice water and poured us both a glass.

I said, ‘I hate her, Caitlin. I hate her. I hate that she drinks, I hate alcohol, I hate everything.’ And I was crying, and my head started killing again. ‘It hurts,’ I groaned.

Caitlin took my glass of water, held me to her and said, ‘You don’t hate your Mum. It’s going to be okay. This is only a moment and you’re going to get through it, we’re going to get through it. You will be strong and happy again.’

I drank some more of the water and tried to catch my breath. ‘Can you ask the nurse if I can have some more Panadol?’