Although it came as a relief, the memory of it made her feel mortified the next day. And remembering it today is still unpleasant. Because of that evening, Valérie knows that for all her airs, Séverine has cracks like everybody else in this world.

“So are you coping?”

Valérie grimaces in a twisted smile. “I haven’t got a job any more.”

“What?”

“Restructuring. There’s several of us, not just me.”

“Shit. Bastards. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I have an appointment at the Pôle employment agency tomorrow.”

“Yes, but aren’t going to go after them about the redundancy?”

“I’d rather not rock the boat. They’ve given us a small bonus… If we start screaming and shouting they may never take us back. But, well, if I keep my mouth shut, then maybe next time they’re hiring they’ll remember me, right?”

A woman pushes open the door and calls Séverine sharply, reminding her that the children have been back in class for over five minutes. Her tone is annoyed, falsely benevolent and categorical. Séverine gives Valérie’s arm a squeeze, kisses her and disappears into the school. Just before closing the door, she turns. “Drop in at home whenever you like. You’re not on your own.”

The promise makes Valérie’s cheeks quiver a little; she lifts her eyes very high, presses her fingers into the dark rings and sniffs. She doesn’t want her tears to flow, these large tears of abandonment and half a messed-up life.

Blood on the Sheets

Blood on the Sheets

“Where’s Maman?”

Jo can’t answer. Their mother must be stuck at work, it’s what they tell themselves, it’s the best thing to tell themselves, of course.

“I’m here,” Jo whispers, wishing she was somewhere else, in the rain or still crouching in the rows of vines, anywhere but here, in this ridiculous pale-blue hospital gown and paper cap, with these doctors fussing over her sister who, legs spread and breathing erratic, is calling for her mother.

Céline is shrieking, clutching Jo’s hand; neither of them knows how long they’ve been here waiting for things to happen without them, since nobody’s talking to them.