‘Please, Zo,’ I said. ‘I honestly wouldn’t normally ask. I really am in the doghouse right now and I don’t know what Jackie’s going to do if she finds out that I’ve fucked this up too.’

Zoe regarded me for a moment then let out a huge sigh of resignation.

‘God, you’re a pain in the arse,’ she said, then, to the sweetest relief, ‘If I do this then you owe me something pretty sodding big, alright?’

‘I’d hug you right now,’ I said, ‘but I’m not clear on whether you might punch me in the face.’

‘Hmm,’ said Zoe. ‘Neither am I.’

I tried ringing Anya on my way home as I went to collect my bike, but it went straight to voicemail.

Then I sent a text.

Had worst day. Can’t wait to see you. I’ll cook. X

The reply came quickly.

Sweetie, I’m under the weather and Mum persuaded me to stay another night. So sorry. See you tomorrow for sure. Will make it up to you X

I swore, then dialled her number. It went straight to voicemail.

‘Anya,’ I said, struggling not to sound as irritated as I felt. ‘Call me back, okay?’

This was getting ridiculous.

Anya was a grown woman. Was it normal to go running to your parents like this when you felt ill?

Sometimes I wondered if the connection between the three of them was entirely normal.

Anya once told me a story about an aunt – Julia’s sister – who they had seen a lot of when she was small. I never learned her name but, apparently, she caused a scene at a family event by getting drunk and saying that Patrick and Julia spoiled their only daughter.

Anya told this story as if it were quite funny, the fact that her aunt would leave tearful messages on the answering machine apologizing for what she had said.

But she was never allowed back into the Ryland fold.

I woke at five with a thumping head, roiling stomach, and mouth that felt like a dirty sock had been stuffed inside it all night. I’d done it again: got into a sorry state. I’d even finished the best part of a bottle of whisky we had been given as a present by someone. I didn’t even like whisky that much.

Reaching for my phone, I saw that Anya had left me a message late the night before.

Sorry for silence. Feeling much better and going into work in the am. See you tomorrow night. Really miss you xxx

That was something. But as I groaned and turned my face into the pillow, I decided there was no way I was going into school today. I hadn’t had a day off sick in a long time. I wasn’t even sure I’d ever had one, now I thought about it.