In the kitchen, however, she didn’t look so happy. She cursed quietly as she tried to get the La Marzocco working. Gordon was about to offer to help when he was interrupted by his mother, swinging through the saloon door.

‘… and when it turned out to be a fungal infection, which Dr Choy—he’s absolutely lovely, he showed me his citizenship certificate he’d just received—so he said … Oh, hello, darling! Don’t you look nice!’

‘How did they get you in?’ he asked.

‘Well, that’s a lovely way to say hello!’ Norma hobbled towards him and kissed his cheek. ‘Once you get that electric chair fixed, your father and I will be able to come and go as we please!’

Lou shot Gordon an apologetic look and disappeared into the bathroom. One more day, her eyes said. One more day till I keep my promise to see Ben’s cricket final, and I’m out of this madhouse.

Gordon wished he could flee with her.

Ron doddered through the saloon door without his walker. Norma greeted him lovingly, showing him off to Gordon like a new boyfriend.

‘He fell at the top of the stairs, poor thing. But he lands like a cat!’

Ron kept a stiff upper lip, but his jaw trembled. Gordon remembered something Sam had said. It was the lie that had set them free. But that too had turned out to be a lie.

Norma declared, with a dewy smile in Kelly’s direction, ‘And I’m so glad you two are back together. It’s so much better for Ben.’

‘Er, yeah,’ Gordon said, shooting a wary look at Kelly, who was now busying herself, in excessive detail, in the kitchen. Gordon wanted to tell her that he’d had nothing to do with it, this was just Norma joining wrongly numbered dots. Unless Kelly had told her they were back together?

Norma peered over the rims of her half-glasses. ‘All marriages go through their ups and downs, but some things we need to put behind us. Your father and I are so glad for the two of you.’

You’ve been putting things behind you for the past fifty-six years, Gordon thought. If anyone was a living warning against the perils of persisting with marriage, it was his parents. Then he gave himself a mental slap. Imagine thinking of your parents like that. But as Kelly came out of the kitchen he experienced a zing of synchronicity, knowing that she had just had the same thought, and the feeling was akin to sexual arousal, so maybe what Norma was claiming, she was willing into being.

‘I don’t think I can do this,’ Kelly said. Gordon hoped she was only referring to the coffee machine.