“Why don’t we play some music, Liz?” Hannah suggested. I nodded more to myself than to anyone else and went to turn on Mum’s speakers. They were missing, though. I scanned the floor for them, but Hannah was already taking her phone out of her pocket. Her fingers slid across the screen and in a moment a song started playing, a bit thin and tinny but loud enough. Mum’s face crumpled up like she might cry, the fight dissipated but the energy still swirling around inside her. I picked the photo album off the floor and sat with it on the couch.

“Who’s this, Mum?”

“That’s my dad,” she said. And she snuggled in next to me, though she cast an evil eye at Hannah as she slipped out the door. “That’s the day my sister was born. She’s ten years younger than me. Mum and Dad didn’t think they could have a baby.”

We turned the pages and I let Mum tell me stories. Some more coherent than others, every one I’d heard before. We got to the picture of Claire and Mum, the one at Claire’s wedding. I normally closed the book there, but I hesitated and Mum turned the page. I reached out to stop her, but then for some reason I didn’t.

“There’s you and Rob,” I said. She touched his face in the photo.

“That’s me and you, on my first birthday.” I pointed to the picture on the opposite page. I was wearing a pair of cotton stretchy dungarees and I didn’t have much hair yet.

On the next page was my first school picture. Then a photo of Mum and Dad kissing. I still didn’t know who’d taken it. They looked happy, though.

When it was time to go, Mum asked me if I’d be back tomorrow.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” I said, “I promise.”

I stretched my arms overhead. I was tired and so sober I’d forgotten I’d been drinking earlier. In reception I was surprised to see Hannah talking to Oliver, their heads close together, serious looks on their faces. They stopped talking when they saw me.

“Hi,” I said, suddenly shy.

“Hi,” Hannah answered.

“Uh, I really need to go . . . somewhere else for a minute.” Oliver stood abruptly and walked around the corner. I had a feeling he would just stand there waiting.

My hands dangled at my sides. Without saying anything I sat down next to Hannah in a molded plastic chair. My shoes were suddenly fascinating.

“Mum’s OK now.”

“Good. She’s been upset all night. The wallet was only one of the things. When Karen called you it was something else entirely. She was shouting for ages. Throwing things. The minute she saw you I think it calmed her down.”

I waved this absurd suggestion away.

“She doesn’t even know who I am.”