The Thread that Binds Us

On the surface Susan seems to have a normal, loving family, but there are secrets in her past that she cannot share with anyone. Because of this she is considered by those who know her to be an aloof and cold woman. One day her home is burgled and amongst the debris Susan discovers the worn photograph of a young boy. She becomes obsessed with tracing this child, now presumably a middle-aged man. But instead of discussing it with her family, she lies to both her husband and her son, and neglects to consider the impact her actions will have on them.

When she finally meets the man, she is forced to tell her husband and her son about him. Their reaction is far from positive. Graham is hurt that she has lied to him and her son, Aidan, is adamant that he doesn't want his life complicated by her actions. When Graham makes a stand against his wife's deception and walks out, Susan is left both devastated and unsure of how to proceed.

Against an undercurrent of unacknowledged prejudice and complex family relationships, Susan manages to convince her family that there is a practical solution to the problem which will satisfy everyone's needs. As she does so we see a change in Susan's character as the Ice Maiden (a nickname she has unknowingly acquired) begins to thaw. She realises at last what she has missed by immersing herself in her work to the exclusion of her family and that the barriers she had built to protect herself were actually cutting her off from the people she loved.