"But she's your mum," Alfie argued, as if Julien might not know that, or as if that changed anything. He felt Julien shudder as he hid his face and stroked his hair again, though, wondering if Julien was crying and hating his mum a little more than he had a minute ago. "Hey, don't... it'll be okay.." That was what you were supposed to say, right?