"I’m reporting those boys. They’ve done it before. They’re cheeky bastards!"
Joan is shaking. The bits of china jerk out of her hands uncontrollably.
"I’ll do this. You sit down."
She moves to lean on the counter.
"I said sit down! Properly." Vi stops what she’s doing and guides Joan to a seat in the backroom. In spite of herself, Joan sinks onto the hard chair. Vi brings her water. She sips it.
"I’ve locked the door. I know what’ll cheer you up." Vi takes the glass from Joan. "Try these on. Come on."
Vi helps Joan out of the chair. It’s a good job she does as Joan feels really stiff. The last thing she wants to do is try on clothes.

"I think I’ll leave it Vi."
"No! It’s just what you need."
Vi has manoeuvred her into the cubicle and is drawing the curtain.
"Tell me when you’re done."
Joan catches sight of herself in the mirror and quickly focuses on the brooch she is wearing. It’s a silver dolphin. John gave it to her on their second anniversary, two and a half years ago. She likes the sweeping curve of its back; the tilt of its tail. Turning away from the mirror, she slowly undresses. She is down to her undergarments when Vi draws the curtain aside to present her with yet another blouse, this time striped. Joan still has her back to the mirror.
"Good Lord!"
Vi drops the blouse. Her hands reach out to touch Joan’s arms.
"Won’t you look at the state of you!"
Very carefully, Vi turns her to face the mirror. Joan lowers her eyes.
"Look at yourself!"
She looks in the mirror at Vi’s face. At a face she has grown familiar with over the past few months; a face she likes, of the person she has come to depend on for regularity, order; but for the first time, she cannot read this face.
It is like looking at a stranger. Vi’s expression is still, stricken as the mould for a mask. Great wide expanses reveal themselves to Joan, flattening Vi’s features into a one dimensional map of home territory. Unnavigable. Joan’s eyes shift to Vi’s hands which are still holding onto her arms. She has sweet hands, like a child’s, dimpled, unmarked and pale.