‘Ya could keep wan handy under yar pillow.’

We laughed.

Some Take a Breaks, pink fluffy pyjamas that said ‘Sweet Dreams’ with matching socks that had little moons on the soles. She placed it on the ground and handed me an envelope. A mass card for the sick with Mary on the front holding out her hands and looking upwards to the sky, with the most ridiculously thin nose.

‘God is good,’ she said, watching me stare at the card. I patted my bed, and she sat. ‘I’m sorry, maybe ’twas the wrong things ta get ya …’

‘It was so kind, specially the vodka …’

‘But ya know what I meant,’ Margaret Rose said, eyeing the card. ‘It’s just, everyone sick should have wan or two masses said far them. They might bring ya some good. Well, I suppose, they canny do ya any harm at the very least.’

We laughed again.

Jane opened up all our curtains wide to let the Good Lord in and upon seeing the Hegartys who were sleeping, she crept slowly over towards them. ‘Little lambs,’ she said, sneaking up to them, flicking water from a white plastic cup onto Claire and Hegs, waking both of them. ‘What are you doing?’ Claire shouted at Jane, rubbing her nose. ‘Go away. Go back to your bed. No one wants you here.’ She swatted at the old woman but Jane wasn’t moving back.

‘Ah, bless the little ones. And you poor thing here, here with her,’ she said to Hegs, nodding at his daughter. He was just opening his eyes and Jane climbed up onto his bed, looking down over him.

‘Please,’ Claire said, coming around to the right-hand side of the bed. ‘Don’t. Please just leave him. Please, not here … this isn’t the place.’

‘She was beautiful, longest eyelashes I ever saw,’ Jane said, and she began to rub down his eyelids, as Hegs groaned out. ‘You are … just like her. Just like her, oh, Ann. Oh, my God, I am so sorry, I love you. I do, I really do.’

Margaret Rose moved from me, and attempted to coax Jane back to bed.

‘Come on now, good woman, he needs ta sleep.’

‘You, well, you are nothing like her,’ Jane hissed at Claire. ‘Not one part of you.’

Hegs was awake now.

‘Please, Mrs Lohan, please, no, leave him be.’

‘I love you, Ann, it’s so sad to see you in here … like this. I am so sorry. And your hair, it’s all gone.’

Hegs didn’t flinch.

She blessed him again with her fingers, crying now, as Margaret Rose linked her and began stepping her gently back to her own bed.

A text from my mother.

… How are you feeling? Any more word from the docs? I’d really like to see you. x (Emoji of a doctor with a pair of glasses and yellow hair)

Good, hope to get out today or tomorrow. Miss you.

Delete Miss You. I Love You. All the best.