‘Would you like….?’

She didn’t let him finish.

‘I have to go, Cormac. Thanks for today. Bye.’

She was already on the turn. The swiftness of her words and movements rooted him mute to the stool. He knew she was going. He knew he didn’t want her to. He also knew he was powerless to stop her.

Harry spoke for him.

‘Dance with him, Bernadette.’

She rocked to a halt.

‘What?’

‘You heard me. In the circumstances, there would be no harm in dancing with him.’

She glanced at Cormac, whose legs had found the courage his mouth hadn’t. He walked towards her and took her hand.

‘Please, Bernadette - for old times?’

She shook her head and placed her arms so lightly on his shoulders he could barely feel them. They swayed gently together as Dorothy’s whole world turned misty blue and then halfway through the song, something changed in her. It was only slight, barely noticeable at first, but for a moment, he felt her move into him. Her grip tightened and she held on like she would never let go.

Then it was over.

Before the song finished she was off and running towards the hotel exit. He stood for a second in numb silence and then limped after her as fast as his foot would let him. By the time he had reached the pavement, she’d vanished. How could she just run away from him like that? Now, of all times, when he felt her connection again. He would not let her go like this. He would ask Harry to take him to her. He knew she had Peter now, and if she told him that is where she wanted to be, then he would let her go. But not like this.

‘She’s gone, my friend.’

Harry sat on the wall beside him.

‘You know where she lives, Harry. Take me to her, please. I only want to speak to her, just for a minute. I can’t just let her run off like that.’

Harry put his arm around his shoulder.

‘I am afraid I can’t do that, my friend.’

Cormac turned to face him.

‘Surely you know where your own sister-in-law lives?’

The big man stood and talked to the evening sky.

‘Oh Cormac, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I brought you here. I never should’ve interfered. I should’ve left the past where it belonged.’

Cormac looked up at his huge frame.

‘No Harry, you’re wrong. It was the best thing you have ever done for me or could ever have done for me. I can still feel it, you see and I think for a fleeting moment back there, she felt it too!’

The big man turned and crouched beside him.

‘Oh, Cormac … you just don’t get it, do you? She’s gone, and she’s never coming back, my friend. I don’t know where she lives. They moved three months ago, in preparation for emigrating to America. They’re leaving in the morning.’

It felt like Harry had punched him, with all his might, full in the stomach. He started to get up and realised his lead-filled legs wouldn’t let him.