Rashid had been surprised when an appointment came up at work, and he discovered that he had been recommended for it. It was rather similar to the job he currently did and involved a similar level of travel, except the job was to be based out of the UK, in the company’s regional centre in the south-east of England. After all these years, England! The place he had dreamed of living, working, raising and educating his family. Again, it was much too late. And he probably wouldn’t get the job anyway; he’d need to fly to the UK for the interview. He mentioned it to Henna when he arrived home one evening at the Dhaka town house, catching her before she disappeared off for the night.

’Hold on, someone’s come in … no, don’t worry, it’s Just Rashid,’ he heard Henna say to one of her cronies on the telephone as he walked in. Leisurely finishing her call, she addressed him distractedly as she attempted to fasten her earrings in front of the mirror in the long, dark hallway. ‘It’s just you and Ammie tonight, Rashid. Aziz is having dinner at the club, and I’m on my way to Farida’s for our drama and supper evening.’ Fiddling with a stubborn catch at her left ear, she added vaguely, ‘I think Cook might make you some koftas or curry, or something.’

‘Perhaps I could join Aziz at the club?’ suggested Rashid hopefully. Eating alone again with his doleful mother didn’t seem too enticing. She had once resented his frequent absences; now she seemed to positively resent his presence. Like everyone, she liked him much less than Henna and Aziz.

‘If you do, you’ll need to take a rickshaw there and get a lift back with Aziz - I need our driver to go to Farida’s.’

Rashid sighed. Getting a rickshaw through the hot and sticky night was the last thing he wanted to do after a hard day’s number-crunching.

‘Henna, before you go, there’s something you should know.’

‘Yes, well, quickly then,’ said Henna with barely concealed irritation. Her earrings now firmly in place, she was painting her mouth with a plum lipstick that matched her sari and her pretty sandals.

‘There’s a new opening at work. It’s more senior, with more money, but it involves lots of travel in Europe and being based in the UK. They’ve asked me to an interview, but I’d need to go to England for it.’ Rashid hesitated, before bravely admitting, ‘I said I’d think about it.’