"Yeah," Jake said, taking a heavy breath before exhaling and shaking his head. "Nothing to be done about it now, is there? Can't get back there and don't get to know what's going on so just gotta hope that she's hanging on."

If she wasn't, he didn't know what he'd do if he got back to Brighton to find out his mother had died. She would never blame him or make him feel guilty for not being there but she wouldn't have to. Jake would blame himself and that guilt would never, ever abate.

"Don't go telling anyone that, yeah?" Jake asked, frowning. "I haven't told many people about her."