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‘Does Rick know what you’ve been up to?’ she demanded.

‘He’s no angel,’ her dad sputtered.

‘Oh, it wasRickthat cracked open my piggybank and took the contents to the bookies, was it?’ Alex said, taking a step toward him, squaring up. She wasn’t sure what she was doing, but things were getting away from her.

Her dad leant back slightly. ‘I’m in Gamblers Anon, now, Alex. I haven’t touched a bet in years.’

‘I’ve heard that before,’ Alex said.

‘Alex,’ Leigh said behind her. ‘Let’s go see your mum, OK?’

Alex turned to her, realising that in her tunnel vision, she’d forgotten Leigh was there. She was flooded with shame that Leigh was seeing this. ‘You should go.’

Leigh nodded evenly. ‘I can do that.’

‘Then do that. This isn’t your problem,’ Alex said, hating herself.

‘Jesus, Alex. Take a breath, would you?’ her dad said. ‘Your friend is trying to help you.’

‘Shut the fuck up,’ she told him quietly over her shoulder.

‘I wish I’d never called you,’ he sneered. ‘You don’t deserve to know anything. Your mother would be ashamed of how you’re behaving.’

For some reason, that was it. The red line. Alex turned and slapped her father.

The next few minutes were chaotic and blurry. Security guards appeared from seemingly nowhere and bodily dragged Alex down the hall. Several people were yelling, and Alex thought she might be one of them. And then she was back in the foyer, ejected through the sliding doors.

‘Fuck’s sake, I need to see my mother! She’s in a fucking coma!’ Alex yelled from the street.

The security men stood in front of the door and folded their arms into imposing positions. ‘You’re not allowed in. Try again, and the police will be called.’

Alex stood there impotently, realising she’d fucked up. Her mother was in there in who knew what condition, and she couldn’t see her or find out anything. Alex had never felt so utterly out of control. She didn’t know what had come over her.

She wasn’t sure what to do now. She couldn’t go in, but she couldn’t leave either. She was stuck. She didn’t know what had become of Leigh; she’d probably legged it when things got physical. A wise move.

Alex decided to move farther away from the doors, finding a bench to park herself on while she called the hospital to get some information in the only way left. But ten minutes later, she was still bouncing around the hospital switchboard. She couldn’t seem to find anyone who could give her an update on her mother.

She was on hold with the sixth person when the tears came. Someone sat down next to her, and she hoped to god that some stranger was not about to comfort her. That was the last thing she needed.

But it was Leigh. ‘Your dad had it wrong,’ she told Alex. ‘The coma was medically induced to reduce the blood pressure in her brain. She cracked her skull, and there was some swelling. But things aren’t getting any worse, and the doctors say that’s a good thing.’

Alex stared at Leigh. ‘Oh.’ She wiped the tears from her face and took a deep breath of relief. ‘Really?’

‘They’re going to give her a day under and then bring her out of it. But the prognosis is positive.’

Alex realised she was still on hold and hung up the phone. ‘Thank you.’ Something occurred to her. ‘Why would they tellyouall that?’

‘Because I told them I was you,’ Leigh smiled timidly. ‘I hope you don’t mind.’

Alex didn’t mind at all. But she was a bit baffled. ‘Why did you stay? I told you… I wasrudeto you.’

‘Because I get how complicated it was,’ Leigh said. ‘I might have lost it too in that position. That doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to know how your mum’s doing. Your dad was a dick to say that to you.’

Alex marveled at Leigh. ‘I don’t deserve how kind you’re being.’

Leigh smiled. ‘Yeah, maybe not. But you’re getting it anyway.’

Twenty-Four