Wednesday, 26 June

Josie arrives breathless at Alix’s house, eager to be there, but Nathan answers the door instead of Alix. Josie studies Nathan critically, notices his physical presence, and brings Fred inside, where Fred growls at both Nathan and the family cat. Alix leads Josie through the kitchen and across the garden to the studio while Josie absorbs the carefully curated details of Alix’s home.

On the way, Alix asks about Josie’s distress after visiting Pat. Josie insists Pat only appears decent and was actually a terrible mother. Alix says she wants to discuss that for the podcast, and Josie agrees because Alix believes it will strengthen the show.

During the recorded interview, Alix returns to Walter and asks how Josie and Walter became a couple. Josie says Walter remembered her fifteenth birthday and gave her the bracelet she still wears. After school, Josie’s friends tried to push her toward kissing a boy named Troy, whose drunkenness repulsed her, so Josie left and went home.

Josie recounts arguing with Pat, who criticized Josie’s lack of ambition and implied Josie should not spend her birthday at home. Angry and feeling powerful, Josie went to Walter’s work cabin, knowing something decisive might happen. Walter took Josie to a pub, put vodka in her lemonade, and kissed her; Josie remembers feeling as if she had crossed into another world and had tied herself to “the monster” for life.

After Josie leaves, Alix is shaken by the interview and privately acknowledges the horror of Walter’s actions, though Alix hid her reaction while recording. Inside the house, Alix notices the downstairs hand wash has disappeared and asks Nathan about it. Nathan jokes that Josie may have taken it, but Alix dismisses the idea and blames the children.

At home, Josie hides the stolen hand wash in her underwear drawer beside the Nespresso pod, treasuring it because it smells like Alix. Energized by the visit and Alix’s attention, Josie tries again to open Erin’s bedroom door but is stopped by the mess and by Josie’s own dread. Remembering when Erin and Roxy’s room was bright and shared by two laughing little girls, Josie closes the door without confronting Erin.