"My parents had been married about six years when Dad died" Hannah began. "Which isn't that long, really. So . . . I dunno, even though it took Mum a while to get over it - well, fuck, she's still not 'over' it - but all the same, I think she recovered quicker than she would've if they'd been married, say, fifteen years, or twenty years."

"Sure" said Sacha. "But all the same -"

"All the same, it's a fucked up thing to happen. But the point I'm making is, one way or another she started going out with other men. I mean not for a while. Apart from anything else she had me, and I don't think that helped much. But - people need love, you know? Not just family, but someone else. Someone from the outside."

"Someone who doesn't have to love them."

"Yeah, but they just do. Just 'cause. People need that. My mum was no different."

"So she started seeing other men."

"Yeah. Well. No. Not like that. You say it like that, it sounds kinda . . . cheap. Like she was with a different guy every other week."

"Sorry. I didn't mean -"

"No no no no no" Hannah waved Sacha's apology away quickly. "I didn't mean to sound like I was having a go at you. Forget it." She took a slurp of her tea. "But there were a few guys. Three. Four maybe. Depends how you're counting them."

"Nice guys?"

"Yeah, mostly. Well. I dunno. What can a five-year-old tell? None of them ever did anything . . . bad, though. I mean they might not have been the most suitable guys in the world, but . . . Nice guys, yeah. Sure. Anyway, one of 'em must have been pretty nice, at least, 'cause she let him get her pregnant."

"'Let' her?"

Hannah shrugged. "Okay. That's a bit harsh, I guess. I mean what the fuck do I know about it? But - it happened."

"That was your brother?"

"Yeah. She was gonna marry the guy for a while, but . . . She didn't go through with it. Or he wouldn't. I dunno. Anyway, one day he wasn't there any more. I think Mum was kinda . . . thingy about committing to anyone after Dad died. For a bunch of reasons."

"What about religion? Didn't you say your Mum was religious?"

"She was when Dad was alive. After he died everything kinda got fucked up a bit. Plus she's always been anti-abortion, so that wasn't ever an option. And she's too proud to let anyone ever adopt her kid . . . Fuck, it feels weird talking about my brother like this!"

"You don't have to keep talking about it if you don't want to."

"No, it's okay. I'm just saying. Anyway, it's not a very interesting story, but that's how my brother was born. Half-brother, I guess, if you want to get technical, but . . . Nah, fuck it. Brother." She drained the last of her tea, which had been cooling in the bottom of the mug. "Even if he does act like a little shit sometimes."