A Respectable Veneer

Ruby is swept into a celebration she can’t quite feel part of. Frank and Douglas shower her and Edie with affection and extravagant gifts, grateful for the safety and understanding she provides. But their joy only deepens Ruby’s sense of isolation. As Edie delights in new treasures and a kitten of her own, Ruby is left grappling with buried grief, unspoken fears, and a world that feels suddenly fragile. A night out with Janice offers a brief escape, but Ruby’s unease follows her home.

Content Warning: Contains elements of violence and references to child abuse.

Made with support from NZ On Air, the Earle Creativity and Development Trust, and Manawatū People’s Radio.

Ruby prepares for her quiet registry office wedding, only to find herself overwhelmed by fear, pressure, and the steady collapse of her composure. While Edie returns to school and Douglas and Frank bustle with plans, Ruby is haunted by the sense that danger still stalks them. Even as neighbours, friends, and Madam Hoxha gather to witness the ceremony, Ruby feels increasingly detached from the happiness around her—an observer in her own life, struggling to keep her terror and sorrow at bay.

Content Warning: Contains elements of violence and references to child abuse.

Made with support from NZ On Air, the Earl Creativity and Development Trust, and Manawatū People’s Radio.

Ruby does her best to give Edie a joyful Friday night outing, even as fear shadows every step. A new pair of shoes, a bustling crowd, and Janice’s cheerful company should have made for a happy evening—but Ruby can’t shake the sense that danger is closing in. When a mysterious car seems to follow them home, the fragile safety Ruby has tried to build threatens to collapse, just as the household prepares to celebrate Douglas’s decision to move in.

Content Warning: Contains elements of violence and references to child abuse.

Made with support from NZ On Air, the Earle Creativity and Development Trust, and Manawatū People’s Radio.

Ruby begins to imagine a future that looks almost ordinary: Edie returning to school in a new coat, herself back at Vardo, and the prospect of a carefully arranged marriage drawing closer. But shadows from her past still trail her steps, and even small moments of comfort carry the weight of uncertainty. With Frank slowly regaining strength and Madam Hoxha offering unexpected warmth, Ruby must navigate loyalty, secrecy, and the fragile hope of a safer life.

Content Warning: Contains elements of violence and references to child abuse.

Made with support from NZ On Air, the Earle Creativity and Development Trust, and Manawatū People’s Radio.

Ruby and Edie begin to settle into their new life at Frank’s house. But Ruby’s fragile sense of security is shaken once again when shocking news from Auckland rips open old wounds. As Frank recovers and Douglas lends steady support, Ruby tries to keep her worries hidden behind hard work, careful routines, and kindness. Yet memories of her past—and the dangers she fears may still be following her—continue to cast long shadows over her new beginning.

Content Warning: Contains elements of violence and references to child abuse.

Made with support from NZ On Air, the Earl Creativity and Development Trust, and Manawatū People’s Radio.

Ruby grapples with exhaustion as she cares for both a feverish Edie and a fragile, recovering Frank. Despite moments of comfort, fear and grief press heavily on her, especially as news from Auckland threatens to upend the fragile sense of safety she’s been trying to build. As Ruby fights to keep her footing, unexpected tenderness and new uncertainties shape the long hours of the night.

Content Warning: Contains elements of violence and references to child abuse.

Made with support from NZ On Air, the Earl Creativity and Development Trust, and Manawatū People’s Radio.

Ruby struggles to keep herself steady after revealing the truth of her past to Frank. As she tries to hold everyday life together for Edie, a frightening encounter on a rain‑soaked street reignites old fears. With illness, worry, and rising tensions inside Frank’s house, Ruby must navigate exhaustion, danger, and the fragile hope that things might still settle into something like safety.

Content Warning: Contains elements of violence and references to child abuse and child exploitation.

Made with support from NZ On Air, the Earl Creativity and Development Trust, and Manawatū People’s Radio.

Ruby reels from Edie’s devastating confession, forcing her to confront the darkest parts of the past she hoped they had left behind. As a sleepless night unfolds, Ruby and Frank find themselves sharing long‑guarded truths, exposing wounds, loyalties and fears neither expected to voice. While Ruby works to hold herself together for Edie’s sake, the fragile certainty of their new life begins to shift.

Content Warning: Contains elements of violence, child abuse, and references to child trafficking and sexual abuse.

Made with support from NZ On Air, the Earle Creativity and Development Trust, and Manawatū People’s Radio.

Ruby’s sense of safety is shaken when signs from her past resurface. As memories and fears collide, she struggles to protect Edie while holding their new life at Frank’s together. Meanwhile, troubling revelations force Ruby to confront the shadows she worked so hard to escape.

Content Warning: Contains elements of violence, references to child abuse, and mentions of sexual exploitation.

Made with support from NZ On Air, the Earl Creativity and Development Trust, and Manawatū People’s Radio.

Ruby and Edie begin to settle into their new life at Frank’s home. But comfort is short‑lived. A single glimpse on a busy street threatens to shatter the fragile safety Ruby has fought to build, stirring old fears even as she tries to move forward. At Salon Vardo, Ruby throws herself into demanding new work, while tensions and expectations quietly rise around her.

Content Warning: Contains elements of violence and references to child abuse.

Made with support from NZ On Air, the Earl Creativity and Development Trust, and Manawatū People’s Radio.