‘Let’s hope to God he’ll see her,’ Anna whispered to Jake as they left the van and walked across the car park.

By the side door of the hospital they met Theo. He looked shocked, preoccupied, was walking staring down at the ground and jumped when Jake called his name.

‘Hi.’ He nodded at the three of them. ‘Hello, Olivia.’ He looked away, then back at her. ‘This is bad. Really bad.’

‘You’ve seen him?’ Olivia said eagerly. ‘Is he talking?’ Hope shone in her face.

Theo shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. He was dressed in a blue tracksuit and trainers and looked huge and muscular, but Anna could tell he felt terribly put on the spot, that there were things he couldn’t say in front of Olivia.

‘He’s not saying much,’ he told them, avoiding Olivia’s piercing gaze. ‘I think he’s still a bit – you know – sleepy.’

‘Well, he’s bound to be!’ Olivia’s voice held a note of desperate cheerfulness. ‘But he’s going to be all right, isn’t he? He’s awake and he’s seeing people. Let’s go on in.’

Theo looked at Jake. ‘He asked for you.’

As they parted, Theo gestured to Anna to stay behind. ‘Thanks for phoning me, Anna. This is . . .’ He shook his head again. ‘I’ll come again tomorrow, right?’

‘Thanks Theo. It’s an awkward journey for you.’

‘No problem. The bus is OK. I can get to the outer circle.’ He stared at her. ‘He won’t see her, you know. What the hell’s going on?’

‘I’ll tell you’ – Anna put her hand on his dark wrist – ‘when there’s time.’

She watched Theo lope off across the car park.

Jake and Olivia had waited for her just inside. She took Olivia’s arm as they climbed the stairs to the ward. Anna felt sick with nerves, and with sorrow at the sight of this little woman dressed up in her borrowed sense of identity, looking sad and eccentric in her sari, her gait wrong for the clothes, clinging to her hope that this costume might bring her closer to her son. She wanted to say something, warn Olivia that Krish still might not be ready, but it was too late before she could find the right words.

When they reached the middle corridor, Olivia took in a deep breath, preparing herself.

‘Perhaps Jake should go first,’ Anna suggested, as they pushed open the swing doors to the ward. ‘Tell him you’re here and you want to see him?’

Olivia hesitated, then nodded. ‘All right,’ she said, her voice husky.

But on looking through the window of the side room they saw that the chair next to Krish’s bed was already occupied by a tall, thin man, his white coat open to reveal a moss-green shirt. Krish was still lying down and they couldn’t see his face.

After a short time the doctor glanced round at the door. They saw a chiselled face with dark, serious eyes. Seeing them watching, he came out, closing the door softly behind him.