‘Now, come on. He hasn’t done anything to her family, has he? As far as I know, he’s never done the same to anyone else. It’s a personal thing between him and us.’

‘I expect everyone thinks he’s a hero for coming back to “save” the festival,’ Zennor said, then stuck her tongue out like she used to when presented with a plate containing the tiniest hint of a green vegetable. Ironic, now she was a vegetarian, thought Sam, and had to smile.

‘Why are you smiling?’ Zennor asked.

‘Nothing. You being so protective. I thought that was my role as big sister.’

‘It was once. Not now, I’m all grown up.’ Zennor hugged her. ‘Shall I make the drinks? I’ve got a lentil curry out of the freezer ready for the oven. We can have some couscous salad with it. Won’t take five minutes to rustle up.’

Sam stretched out and sighed. It was true that food was comforting. Like their mother, she and Zennor had always enjoyed cooking and nurturing the rest of the family. And, however cheesy, it didn’t really matter what was put on the table when it was served with love. ‘Sounds delicious. Thanks, Zen,’ she said, adding a smile to show how much she appreciated coming home after a long day at work to a meal that had been provided by someone else.

With Zennor rustling around the kitchen, Sam tried to zone out, intent on practising the mindfulness that Zennor herself was into. However, today’s encounter with Gabe had been too momentous to banish from her mind, no matter how often she tried to ‘re-centre’.

Gabe’s appearance had been like a flood tide, bringing the flotsam and jetsam of her past life with it.

She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of Zennor gently humming against the occasional chink of pots and cupboard doors opening. She thought back to the days when Zennor used to refuse anything even resembling a plant.

That was back in the day when their mother had been alive. Their mum had brought the three children up on her own after their father had decided to leave the lot of them and go live in Brazil with a dancer he’d met in a dodgy club. At least that was where he said he was going. He simply vanished off the face of the earth as far as his family were concerned. However, Roz made the best of it.