‘Awful. Not an experience you’d ever wish your child to have to endure. The prison visits are truly awful, knowing I can’t fix it and just get him home. That and dealing with his mother. She went ballistic. Of course she blames me but, hand on heart, I had no idea what he was up to. I genuinely thought he had more sense. But what about you? Any children?’

‘No. Didn’t happen.’

Michael looked thoughtful. ‘You pay a price. As much as they bring you joy, they bring you sorrow.’

I could see it made him sad to talk about Dylan so decided to change the subject. ‘And you’re over here for a wedding, I believe?’

‘In March. Melanie, she’s my niece. Did you ever meet my brother Rob?’

‘You talked of him but I never met him.’

‘He died just over a year ago, prostate cancer …’

‘Oh, I’m sorry.’

‘Me too, he was a good guy. As both my parents have gone now, Rob’s wife, Jess, wanted someone in the family to give Melanie away. I came over early for that, and also a couple of things to attend to, boring stuff. I’ll catch up with Jess and Melanie, family, old friends while I’m here, and of course you were top of the list. I’ve been meaning to get in touch for a long time, but then all the cyberspace stuff just isn’t my thing, not my style. I thought I’d wait and catch up in person.’

‘And here you are.’

He reached out and took my hand. ‘And here I am, and it is really good to see you.’

We sat drinking coffee and soon fell back into the ease of conversation we had so long ago. I learnt that, after Celia, he’d had another long-term relationship that hadn’t worked out, had taken up painting, and had his own studio overlooking a beach, played with a local band, had a rescue dog he adored called Buster. His life sounded idyllic.

‘Are you still into meditation and Buddhism?’ I asked. ‘I remember that was really your thing when we were together.’

‘I lean that way, am vegetarian, don’t like to kill insects, but I could never do the monk bit.’

‘The Buddhists believe in reincarnation, don’t they?’

‘They do believe the spirit lives on.’

‘Do you believe in past lives?’

‘Yes, in a way. I think we all go through many lives in this life and are different people, you know – child, student, lover, husband, father, worker and so on.’

‘I meant lived before, as in a different body?’

Michael laughed. ‘That’s what I always liked about you, Bea. You were always different.’

‘Was I?’

‘Well, not having seen each other for ages, most people would chat about their families, what they’ve been doing, what they’re having for supper, but you’re straight in with a metaphysical question like that.’