Allison wasn't sure what to say about Dylan's mother. It was true that not everybody was so fiercely protective as she herself was and that they weren't natural mothers but she couldn't understand any mother abandoning her child. "That's- I'm sorry, Dylan. Nobody should have to put up with that."
"Like James but different," she said, not sure how to explain it. "Joe can get... Angry when he can't help and he has no family. James has a lot of family... He might not want the help but he has it if he needs it. Toby's father was an ex of mine. I left him because he couldn't stay faithful and when I confronted him, he hit me. I don't and won't be in an abusive relationship."
She shook her head in disbelief. "No wonder there's so much prejudice in your society if people grow up and no longer speak to one another once you're out of school."
Allison nodded. "I'll try and find her tonight. She will be here, won't she? There's certainly an abundance of redheads tonight."