Annie stands up and, as she passes behind Henrietta, she pats the girl on the shoulder as if it’s her, not Annie, who has just been through something difficult. It’s only once she’s on board the minibus that Annie lets go. She rests her forehead on the fogged-up window and her tears feel thin and mealy, as if they’ve dried up after such a long time. She cries for Kath, for herself, for the whole damn mess. And as she cries, she feels a knot in her chest beginning to loosen.
