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she needed. But I’m here for her now. I’m not eighteen any more. I can be a mother. I am a mother. And not a bad one.
     
    Derry sniffs my armpit. ‘Get off.’ I push him away. Why am I hiding upstairs and not with Mum, defending her? If I let Nana keep shouting, maybe she’ll persuade Mum to run away again. I don’t want that.
    I fly down the stairs, closely followed by Derry. Mum is sitting at the kitchen table. Nana is towering over her.
    ‘Leave Mum alone!’ I shout.
    ‘I told you to wait in your room,’ Nana says sternly. Any other time I would scurry away. Not today.
    Mum’s mascara is smudged and her eyes are red from crying.
    And then the front door opens and is slammed shut. Derry barks, growls and backs himself into a corner.
    ‘Bernadette? Apple?’ It’s Dad. Nana must have been so worried she called him. And he came. He actually came.
    He charges into the kitchen, smashing the door against the fridge. Mum jumps up. When Dad sees her, he gasps and drops his phone.
    ‘Chris. Hi. You’re looking good,’ Mum says. Her hair falls over one eye and she smiles. She’s so pretty. I wish she would steal Dad away from Trish.
    ‘We thought she’d been bloody well kidnapped. Now I see you’re behind this. Why didn’t I guess?’ Dad folds his arms across his chest. He glares at Mum. He’s not flirting with her, I can tell that much.
    Mum tries to look sorry. ‘I didn’t mean to have anyone running to the priest to arrange a funeral. I wanted to see her. I got off the plane, and I couldn’t wait.’
    Dad keeps his arms folded, but his expression softens. ‘You flew in today?’
    ‘This morning. I just finished a show.’
    Dad smiles. Nana’s mouth is puckered into a sour pout.
    ‘That’s lovely, Annie. I do hope your adoring audience gave you a standing ovation,’ Nana says. ‘I’m wondering what the plan is now. Are you going to tap-dance on the pier for money?’
    Mum stands up and puts on her coat. ‘I have to go now. I’ve appointments this evening to see some two-bed apartments. I’m hoping that Apple . . .’ She pauses and takes a deep breath. ‘I want Apple to come and live with me.’
    Nana’s eyes become hot clots of rage. Dad winces like he’s been pinched. But no one speaks. I can’t even think. I feel dizzy as the blood stutters around my heart. Live with her? In a place that isn’t Nana’s house?
    ‘The truth is, Apple isn’t happy,’ Mum says. ‘Isn’t that right, Apple?’
    Nana pulls her hands out of her pockets. Is she going to hit Mum?
    ‘Apple told me that you basically treat her like a prisoner, and that Chris is wrapped up in his new wife and life. I want to give her more.’
    Dad and Nana turn to me. My face flushes. Why is Mum telling them what I’ve said? It wasn’t meant to be broadcast.
    ‘Is this true, Apple?’ Nana’s eyes tighten into thin lines.
    I pick at the skin around my nails. Maybe if I do this for a while everyone will ignore me and continue fighting with each other. They wait for me to speak.
    ‘I don’t need to be collected from school,’ I murmur.
    ‘Trish has only ever been kind to you, Apple,’ Dad says.
    ‘It’s OK, Apple,’ Mum says. She gets up from the table, stands behind me and places her hands on my shoulders. She’s on my side, and Nana and Dad seem to be on the other.
    Derry cowers in his basket. He can tell something hor­­rible is happening. I want to snuggle with him, so we’ll both feel better.
    ‘I don’t need an answer now, of course. Apple will need a few days to decide what she’d like to do,’ Mum says.
    Nana slams her fist on the kitchen table. ‘Apple is staying with me . I won’t even discuss it.’
    ‘If she wants to be with me, no court would prevent it,’ Mum says quietly, and although I’m not entirely sure what this means, it makes Nana wobble and I wish Mum hadn’t said it.
    ‘I think you should go,’ Dad snaps. He grabs Mum’s studded leather handbag from the back of one of the