Charlie didn’t think he’d ever felt so nervous in the chamber as he did when he took his seat at eleven o’clock the next morning for the debate. He’d thought asking a question at PMQs had been bad, but this, with the renewed weight of expectation on his shoulders from Harry, and by proxy, all of the CF patients who were depending on him to convince the House that the drugs needed re-evaluating, felt almost as though it would crush him. He’d made rookie mistakes on his way to this moment, but now he had a real chance to put his case forward. He just hoped he was up to the job. As he looked around the chamber, he was gratified to see the Opposition MP Stephen Brabham sitting on the other side, and reassured when Stephen gave him a brief smile, mouthing good luck across the floor. Charlie grinned nervously back, before mouthing thanks. Then, as the Speaker took his place in the front and centre of the chamber, it was time for the off.

Back in Willowbury, Holly had brought her iPad down to the shop counter and had set it up to live-stream the debate through Parliament TV. Usually it was a channel only watched by the most hardened politics junkies, but, news that their very own Member of Parliament was introducing an Adjournment Debate on an issue so close to the constituency’s hearts had spread through Willowbury and Holly wasn’t surprised, half an hour before the debate, when Rachel came barrelling through the door of the shop to tell her that the landlord of The Travellers’ Rest had set up a big screen in the bar and was intending on serving drinks at half price for the duration of the debate.

‘Can’t you shut up shop and come over?’ Rachel asked. ‘I took Harry back to nursery this morning now the hospital’s cleared him, and he’s there until one o’clock, so I should be able to catch most of it. Why don’t you see if Isabella’s free to cover this place?’ Harry, once out of hospital, had bounced back enough to spend the morning at nursery and he’d been overjoyed to see his friends again.

‘I’ll call her,’ Holly replied. She had enormous butterflies flapping in her stomach, and wasn’t actually sure whether she was emotionally prepared to watch Charlie in action surrounded by loads of other people.

Rachel paused, as if she was debating whether or not to continue.

‘What is it, sis?’ Holly asked, instantly alert.