The front door slammed. I went to look but when I opened it there was no one there. I ran upstairs. Ma was not in her room. I checked the rest of the house. No sign of her. s**t. She’d gone out. She’d said she couldn’t stay but I hadn’t thought she meant she’d leave straightaway. I stood on the steps outside the front door and called for her until the cold drove me indoors.
Kit was still asleep on the kitchen table and he wasn’t too happy about being shaken awake.
‘f**k off, Jen. Your hands are freezing.’
‘Come on, Kit. I need your help.’
‘Leave me alone. I’ve got an early start tomorrow.’
‘You’re asleep on the kitchen table.’
‘Am I?’ He lifted his head and rotated it like an owl. ‘Oh yes,’ he said and put his head back down on his arms.
He was right: my hands were freezing. I grabb
