I felt a bit excited with hope and a bit jittery with worry about whether Mum would ever be ready to see me again. Mr Driver seemed to know how I was feeling, and that it was calming to sit with my friend in his garden, so he brought out an old milk crate with his seat and made a kind of dinner table where we could eat our sausages and mash right next to Sixpence’s house. I tried to be all cheerful for him because he’d made a special effort, but he just patted my back and said, ‘Nothing wrong with sad at a time like this, Dorcas.’ And so I let go of the effort and ate my tea in silence.

I waited and waited and hoped and hoped Mum would call me in to see her that night but she didn’t. Mr Driver didn’t make me go to bed and let me sit up with him by the television, but eventually I couldn’t really keep my eyes open and he helped me climb into bed. He took off my shoes and socks and let me crawl in with my clothes on. He turned out the light but left the crack in the door for me, and I heard him return to his television chair that made a squeaking sound when he pulled the lever to make it a recliner.

I don’t know how long I’d been asleep before I realised Daniel was shaking me awake. At first I was frightened about whether something else had gone wrong, but he had put the light on in my room and I could tell he was smiling, and so was Mr Driver standing behind him, who did a little clap of his hands which I guessed was happiness. I could see out the window it was morning, and that meant it was Christmas Day.

‘Come on, sleepy head,’ said Daniel, sounding very pleased. ‘We’re all waiting for you in Mum and Dad’s room. Hurry up. Put your shoes on.’

I scrambled to find socks and shoes and together we raced out the back door and down our drive and into the house. My house! I was back in my house! I ran past the laminex table and chairs, past the bathroom door, and hurtled into Mum and Dad’s room before coming to a sudden stop to check what I should do next. Mum and Dad were in bed in Mum’s best floral cotton sheets. Ruthy was in between them, and Daniel took a seat on the bottom of their bed. I stood still, not quite sure what to do. I looked at Dad, who was smiling. I carefully looked at Mum, a bit scared of what her face might say to me. But she looked like my mum with the face she had when it was a Jesus day.

Everyone seemed to be smiling, which seemed a bit strange, but I guessed it was for Christmas.

My mum said, ‘Dorcas, there seems to be something a bit smelly in the bottom of your wardrobe where you stash your hats when they are grubby. I’d like you to take it out and air it please.’