Ned barked an incredulous hoot up to the ceiling. I smiled wryly. ‘Yes, well, you can laugh. Wait till you have children.’ I sighed. Glanced up at the ceiling. ‘D’you think he’s all right up there?’

‘He’s fine. Having a good old poke around. Much the best way to see a house, as he says. Anyway, I didn’t come to talk about Imo or me, I came about you. And not about moving – I’m coming round to that. At least for a bit. But I saw Sonia the other day.’

I got up and pretended to look for some biscuits. Sonia might be my agent but she was also a very good friend and she knew my children.

‘I bumped into her in Waterstones. Sit down, Mum. She says you’re not answering her emails. About signing a new contract.’

I breathed heavily into the cupboard where I was conducting my spurious search: wondered if I could confess to this priest son of mine that I no longer had an urge to write. No longer needed my therapy. I turned and gave it a whirl. He listened in silence. Then nodded.

‘Yes, I can see that. I understand that, with Dad gone, another world is not so … well, I get it. But wasn’t it also something for you?’

‘I’ve just explained, it was all for me. No one else. But with your father gone, it’s no longer necessary.’

‘But you were good at it. Are good at it.’

I shrugged. ‘I’m OK. You and I both know I can do it standing on my head. I was churning them out. And let’s not pretend it’s brain surgery.’

Ned and I didn’t do bullshit, so he didn’t protest. He tried another tack. ‘But what will you do? I mean—’

‘Do?’ I interrupted, irritated. ‘What is this obsession with doing? Why should I have to do anything? I’ve been doing all my life, surely it’s time for a bit of bugger all? Even a bit of fuc—oh, hello! Sorry, didn’t see you there. How did you get on?’

My prospective tenant appeared in the doorway, rather fortuitously actually, in the light of my son’s interrogation, and before my language got too fruity.

‘Yeah, I like it.’

‘Oh good! Do you?’ I beamed, delighted.

‘Well, there are a couple of things I wouldn’t mind changing, but on the whole it works.’

‘Oh? Really?’ I bridled instantly. ‘Like what?’

‘Well, the television is antiquated and the fridge is too small. Plus there’s an awful lot of clutter, which I presume you’re taking with you?’