Holly reached out a hand and pulled her sister into a hug. ‘It’s shit, I know,’ she murmured, trying to push aside the feelings of hurt and anger at Charlie’s betrayal and focus on Rachel and Harry right now. The sadness she felt at losing Charlie personally battled with her rage at his seeming ability to just walk away. ‘But we’ll get there, I promise you. I’ll keep fighting for Harry, even if Charlie won’t.’

‘Thanks, sis.’ Rachel hugged her back. ‘I’m so proud I’ve got you on my side.’

‘Always,’ Holly said. ‘Even if I have to sell this place to help fund this drug, I will do that for Harry.’

‘Oh no you won’t!’ Rachel replied. ‘This place is your security. You need it for your own future. But we’ll find a way, I know we will.’

Despite the ache in her heart over Charlie’s defection, Holly knew Rachel was right. It didn’t take politicians to make the changes, that much she now knew. It would take courage, determination and a lot of shouting. The last one, especially, she was more than prepared to do. Charlie had better get his ear defenders on, she thought savagely, because she was about to make a lot of noise.

Holly immediately threw herself head first into boosting the campaign to get the CF drugs reassessed. This not only involved tweeting and social networking as much as possible, but since Isabella was working more regular shifts in ComIncense before tutorials for her Creative Writing degree started next term, Holly could attend the demonstrations that were being organised by friends and family of CF patients. A couple of them had been held in Bristol, but there was a bigger one, taking place over two days, planned for outside of the Houses of Parliament in the next few weeks. She’d also set up an online petition, which was gathering momentum. As was the convention in the UK, once the petition reached ten thousand signatures, it would get a written response from the government; if it reached a hundred thousand, it would be granted debating time in Parliament. Let Charlie sit in on that one, she thought, and let’s see where his priorities lie. In the rare moments when she wasn’t busy in the shop or masterminding the next steps for the campaign, she did catch herself missing Charlie; they’d been so good together, and had really been getting to know each other as people before he backed off. But he’d made his choice, and she’d made hers by throwing him out of her home. There was nothing else to be said.