Why had Edie flipped like that? What had I done? I went over everything I’d said, desperate to work out what I should apologise for. She’d been so angry, but hadn’t given me the chance to find out why.

As I sat with Granfer on the settee while he waited for Coronation Street, I bit down on my lip, well past the point where it hurt; then, to take my mind off the pain in my lip, I dug my fingernails into my thighs as hard as I could.

Mum appeared as soon as the theme tune blared out. The two of them never missed an episode. The world would have to be ending before they allowed that to happen. She pulled the basket of laundry out from behind the settee and sat folding sheets and pairing socks, while he grumbled about the soap opera’s shenanigans, his rasping breaths coming in an uneven rhythm.

I tried to focus on the comings and goings in Weatherfield, but I couldn’t get Edie out of my head. Anxiety snowballed in my stomach until I could no longer sit still. I ran upstairs to my box and closed the door, then reached beneath my pillow for the mix tape. I stared at it. Ran my fingers down the list of songs. Mix tapes took so long to make. There was no way she’d have made it for me unless she really cared. Maybe she’d suddenly felt poorly. Yes. That had to be it. Or maybe it wasn’t? Maybe I had done something wrong. Was I too forward in inviting myself to stay over for the night?

There was a knock on the door. It opened. Mum’s face appeared. ‘I thought I’d make sure you’re okay. You didn’t fancy Corrie tonight?’

‘I’m tired.’

She nodded. ‘I’ve got a bit of ironing to finish then I’m going to turn in too.’ She hesitated then asked casually, ‘Any sign of your brother?’

‘I think he went to the pub.’

‘Do you know how he got on at The Cliff House today?’

I shrugged. ‘I didn’t talk to him, but he was doing the fence like they asked him to.’

She said goodnight and closed the door. I heard her and Granfer having a brief conversation about his jigsaw on the landing and then her footsteps descending the stairs.