Stella had prepared herself for this. She knew it would be difficult to reacclimatise. This is what agoraphobia must feel like, she thought. The great trees, the rushing traffic, it was all too much. How did people cope, every day, with all this noise? She wondered if she still remembered how to cross a road, or if she would be mown down at the first attempt. Did cars really go this fast all the time?

“Looked stupid on television,” Vanda was saying, and Stella realised she was talking about the confession. “It was on during the news. Everyone saw it. The neighbours were shocked. When you were arrested they said it must be a mistake, you were such a nice girl. But to hear you admitting to all those things. You’ve let us all down.”

Stella said nothing. She wished her father had come, but of course he wasn’t well enough.

“What are you going to do?”

“I haven’t thought about it.”

“I hope you don’t think we’re going to support you forever.”

“I’ll find something to do.”

“No one will want to marry you now. Oh, your friend Jessica came to see us. She was very angry. She said you told them you had some kind of relationship, and then they took her for questioning. They didn’t put her in the papers, but now she’s lost her job too.” She looked at Stella, demanding a response. “Why must you get everyone into trouble?”

The good thing about being inside was she’d learnt to hold a silence. It was easy to let Vanda talk herself out, before saying, “Maybe I’ll help Janet look after the baby.”

“Oh.” Gears shifted in Vanda’s head. “That could be good too. They have a maid, of course, but they can always do with more help. I’m glad you haven’t forgotten your family. Winston’s doing very well, you know. They say he’ll definitely get in.”

“Good for him.”

“All your friends have surrendered. Just recently. The Communists, the Ma Gong. All the way up in Thailand now, still fighting after so many years, as if anyone remembers them. It’s finally over, no more Communists left here.”

“They’re not my friends.”

“Anyway, you must put this behind you.” Vanda’s lips compressed. “You made a mistake, but nothing really happened. Thank God you didn’t really bring down the government. You must pray in gratitude, that it didn’t go too far. You still have your family. You must go on living your life.”

Stella nodded, numb. Then— “Can we go home by Orchard Road?”

“What for?”

“I want to see people.”