‘How are you, Grace? A million miles away you were then. Everything OK?’ he asked, folding his tattoo-covered forearms and staring at her intently. ‘You looked like you were crying. Not that I was spying on you or anything – I had barely glimpsed in before I tapped on the window. Promise.’ And he enveloped her in an enormous embrace, the waft of his coconut hair gel engulfing her. Grace let herself lean into his gym-honed chest, grateful for the moment of comfort. ‘Ah, that’s it, love, you let it all out,’ he added, when she couldn’t help her shoulders from heaving up and down. The last few months had been so exhausting, what with caring for Cora and then on reading and absorbing Connie’s pain … well, it all felt so overwhelming right now and Grace realised she was crying again. An ugly cry with the tears sprinkling all over the shoulder part of Jamie’s cheery parrot shirt.

‘Is that you, Jamie?’ Cora’s voice bellowed, breaking in to Grace’s moment of comfort from her friend. Jamie lifted his chin from where it had been resting gently on top of Grace’s head and responded.

‘Yes it is, Cora. I’ll be up to see you after I’ve spent some time with Grace, OK?’ he called out, firmly, never one to take any nonsense from her mother.

‘Of course, love. No rush, I know how busy you are at the hospital … get Grace to make you a cup of tea, I’m sure you could do with one.’ And her voice faded as she turned the volume of the TV up even higher.

‘Can you turn that down, please, Cora? It’s very loud,’ Jamie added, giving Grace a look as he let out a sigh and rolled his eyes.

‘Oh, yes, sorry. I didn’t realise,’ Cora acquiesced sweetly, and the TV volume instantly lowered.

‘How do you do that?’ Grace whispered, shaking her head as she went to pull away. ‘Oh God, I’m sorry,’ she added, on seeing the state of his parrot-print shirt. But he gave her another squeeze before taking her hand in his and leading her into the lounge.

‘Oh don’t worry about a few tears, they will all come out in the wash,’ he said, gently.

‘There you go.’ He steered her to the sofa. ‘Now sit down and I’ll make you a nice mug of tea and you can tell me all about it. Better out than in.’ He squeezed her hands in his before turning on his heel and heading towards the kitchen.

Half an hour later, and Grace had told Jamie all about unit 28 and Constance di Donato’s diaries and beautiful belongings.