Friday 29th September – late afternoonWe drive Zia and Susi home. Peppina is there in the courtyard. Sitting on a chair with a long face, and arms tightly folded. Probably sulking because she hadn’t been invited. Seeing her after all these years has brought back to me all the pain I went through as a young woman. I still hate her and, even though she’s dead, I still hate my mother. It’s because of Peppina that I’ve lived most of my life with only one kidney. I remember her stamping on my side, and me pleading for her to stop. I was so helpless.
“Don’t accept anything to eat or drink,” I whisper to Humps and Clara. As usual, Humps probably thinks I am being unfair, or even delusional.
“Let’s go and sit in the garden,” Susi says.
“Great idea!” I say.
Peppina huffs. She makes clear she ca
