He heard his mum speaking crossly upstairs, and realized with a shock that she wasn’t arguing with his father at all, she was arguing with Nana, his grandad. He’d have thought that she would be a bit gentler with him, given his dicky ticker.

‘How dare you speak about my boys that way,’ Shona seethed with uncontrolled fury. They have absolutely bloody nothing to do with you, or Amma, for that matter. You know, as far as I’m concerned, you’re not even related to them. It was me, I made them, I made them happen without any help from either of you.’

‘As far as you’re concerned? Shona, you’re speaking like a madwoman. They’re my grandchildren, whether you like it or not. Just because you’ve had this insane need to confess to the world and break up your marriage for the sake of some Irish teacher you’ve just met, you can’t expect us all to accept these things. I love Omar, but he’s not gay, he’s just a perfectly normal boy who needs help. Maybe we could send him to a psychiatrist, to get him over this funny phase. And Sharif, how could you ever have let him date Candida? Were you mad? Didn’t you think about the consequences?’

‘I wanted to meet her,’ Shona admitted, a little stubbornly, ‘and I knew you would never introduce me, but at least Sharif did. I know now that I was very wrong not to tell Sharif about her. But I really didn’t see the harm in them dating for a bit. It was only for a little while, anyway.’ Sharif’s ears had pricked up. How did his grandad know about Candida? Perhaps he knew her dad? Sharif suddenly realized the reason for Candida’s father’s irrational hatred of him - it all became clear. His grandad must have told Candida’s father that his grandson was disreputable, and caused the whole bizarre vendetta. To think that his own Nana was the back-stabbing old dog that had caused him so much heartache. Sharif went to march up the stairs to have it out with him, when his Nana’s next words stopped him in his tracks.

’I don’t believe I’m hearing this! Didn’t see the harm! Shona, you really are mad. She’s my daughter, for God’s sake. They’re not children any more. What if they had slept together, or, God forbid, he had got her pregnant? It’s illegal, I’m sure it is. She’s his aunt!’