‘Oh I’m sorry. I thought I was talking to the two people I loved most in the world all my life. Obviously there’s been an invasion from Mars and my parents have been replaced by aliens. ’Cause you guys are sure making a good job of behaving like strangers right now. Can I just rewind a tape here, folks? We want you to be happy. That’s all. Ring a bell? You said it often enough. Didn’t you mean it? Well let me tell you that for years I’ve been trying to make you two happy as well. Ever think of that? That it works both ways. Did I do anything wrong? Did I embarrass you or shame you? Did I disrespect or disobey you? Or did I love and cherish you both, as I do now?’

Her mother was crying now. He could hear her sobbing. ‘Peach darling, we’re not saying …’

‘No. Come on. Let’s face it. You let me down. You must have seen how unhappy I was with Tom, but you never said anything. You never said we want the best for you, darling when he was ordering me around in front of you like I was a retarded child. Did you? Did you?’

Silence. Sam held the window-sill. His hand brushed a pine cone animal, a little body and head made from different-sized cones, tiny feet made from wood shavings, mounted inexpertly on a sliced log. Katie Crosby, the child artist, on vacation in a different life. He touched it gently with the tip of his forefinger as he heard his wife continue on the other side of the door.

‘So I made my escape on my own, without your help. And now when I know what is good for me and I’ve never been happier in my whole goddamn life, you trot out the what’s best for you crap. I thought you were better than that, Dad.’

‘Are you surprised?’

‘Gutted.’

Her mother was sniffing. He heard Katie say softly, ‘Come here,’ and knew she’d taken her mother into her arms. Her voice was gentle now, her temper spent. ‘Do you remember the time you took me to the rodeo on the Kalinka reserve one summer, Dad?’

No response.

‘Well I do. I remember it real well. You were so moved by those people’s horsemanship. That woman, remember, who rode round those barrels like she was nailed to the horse? I recall you picking me up and putting me on that high wooden fence to get a better view, and you said, We owe these people a debt we can’t repay, Peach. We can just marvel now at how their dignity and nobility has survived. There it is out there for anyone with eyes to see.