There was a noise - it sounded like an anteater blowing its nose. Or maybe it was a mother in pain.
‘Is that really how you feel, son?’
‘I don’t feel. I know.’
‘But after all those years…can’t you forgive? Even a little bit?’
‘Do you know what happened to me during those years, Mother?’
‘No.’
‘I thought not. If you did, you wouldn’t have dared to ask that question.’
The soft clicking of her heels sounded through the tube. She had taken two uncertain steps forwards.
‘Won’t you return home, Ricky? Please?’
‘Why should I return to someone who did not stand by me?’
‘I tried! I really did! I - ’
‘Don’t lie to me! You know what happened! You were there. And you never said a word!’
Silence.
Silence more deadly than any I had heard before.
Finally, Mr Ambrose spoke again, his voice as cold as an arctic grave: ‘No. I will not come back for your sake.’
‘Then don’t do it for me. Do it for Adaira.’
I stiffened. Adaira? Who the hell was Adaira?
‘Don’t you dare bring her into this!’ There was a threat in Mr Ambrose’s voice now - real danger, maybe even for his mother.
She didn’t seem to care.
‘Oh yes, I will bring her into this! She misses you, Ricky! She has missed you ever since you left!’
Bloody hell! Mention who she is already, will you?
But nobody seemed inclined to grant my silent wishes.
‘She loves you, son. If you don’t believe that I love you after what has happened, believe in her.’
Love him? Love him? Who the heck was this little witch?
‘Is there anything else you wanted to say, Mother?’ I could feel the ice crystals growing on Mr Ambrose’s voice all the way through the tube. ‘I have important business to attend to.’
‘More important than your family?’
‘Undoubtedly.’
‘Even Adaira?’
Silence.
But I didn’t mind. I had gotten my answer: family! She was family!