Maisie sat quietly at the end of her mother’s bed, taking just a minute or two to gather her thoughts. By the time she was ready to stand up Bridie was sound asleep.

Later, she said goodbye to Lynn at the front door. ‘Thanks for today.’

‘I’ll be here first thing to pick her up,’ Lynn said.

‘I really appreciate it.’

‘While you were putting her to bed I checked in on Valerie.’

Maisie remained silent.

‘This is not her fault, Maisie.’

‘I know.’

‘You should speak to her.’

‘I can’t. I’m just too angry, Lynn.’

‘She needs her mother.’

‘She needs a good …’ She shook her head. ‘I’m sorry. I just don’t understand.’

‘She’s a kid covering for her brother. She didn’t know. None of us knew.’

‘You’re right. I know you are.’

‘So you’ll talk to her?’

Maisie nodded and sighed. I’ll do my best. ‘Did you see the photo of them in the paper?’ She changed the subject.

‘I did, handsome boys.’

‘Yeah.’ Maisie smiled.

‘I really want to say it’s gonna be all right.’

After several years as a critical-care nurse, Lynn wasn’t one for platitudes. After several years of having the shite kicked out of her, Maisie wasn’t much for them either. So Lynn was never going to say that everything would be OK. It wasn’t OK and it might never be OK for Maisie again because her boy was missing.

‘We’re in it together, you and me, in sickness and health, good times and bad. You got that?’ Lynn said.

‘Got it.’

‘Right then, I’m off. One last thing.’ She paused. ‘I’d trade my soul for those boys.’

Maisie could see her biting the inside of her cheek, trying to keep it together, but the tears were welling in her eyes. ‘Come here, ya thick,’ she said, and they hugged and cried together. Neither spoke. They just held each other in the porch, bawling their eyes out.

Then Lynn disengaged herself, straightened up and wiped her eyes. ‘Jaysus, if he comes home tonight we’ll feel like awful eejits.’

‘I hope so. I’d give anything to feel like an eejit now,’ Maisie said. She watched her friend drive away into another rainy night, then stared down the avenue, praying to see her son. Come on, Jeremy, just walk down the road. Crawl if you have to, just come back to me. Please, son. Please come back to me.