Sam was an actual friend and had been there when she needed him. The only person who had, in fact. If he had a flaw, it would be that he didn’t own a mobile phone, but she’d gotten used to writing letters, even though the fact that he moved around the country meant that he sometimes didn’t reply for weeks or months. When she’d had to leave her family home the Christmas before, his narrowboat was the first place she’d thought of to go, and he’d welcomed her, let her stay until the council found her the flat. There had been five weeks of blissful boat life, no contact with her family, the longest she’d ever gone without speaking to Jo or Marianne. Then, when the flat was secured, she’d decided to get in touch with Joanna.

Shivering in the February cold in the smoker’s shelter outside the folk bar, Ruby had hesitated, then pressed Joanna’s icon on her phone.

One ring, two. She’d nearly hung up, but then, there she was.

“Ruby?”

For a short while Ruby couldn’t speak. Emotion crowded her throat.

“Ruby? Are you there? Is it you? Say something.”

Jo didn’t sound angry. If she’d sounded angry, then Ruby would have hung up immediately.

“Are you okay? Please, Ruby, just say anything. Tell me you’re okay.”

“I’m okay,” said Ruby, her voice thick.

“Thank God,” said Jo. “We were so worried. Have you spoken to Mum?”

“Don’t call her that.”

“Believe me, there’s plenty I could call her. I can’t believe she said what she said. I didn’t speak to her myself for a week.”

“But you’re speaking to her now?” Ruby felt betrayed by this. Jo had been there for the fight. She knew how hurtful those words had been.

“I had to. I couldn’t let Dad cope with it all on his own. And I would never try to defend what she did but …”

“You’re about to defend her, aren’t you?”

“What do you want me to do, say she’s a total bitch? An alcoholic? A failure? We’ve both had times we’ve thought those things. And what she said hurt me too—it was spiteful and stupid. But she didn’t mean it. She’s ill, Ruby, and what she said was part of that. It wasn’t her speaking, not really. We have to make exceptions sometimes. At the end of the day, she’s our mum. She brought you up. She loved you, just the same as she loved me. More, if anything.”