My favourite room is the kitchen, a big room that runs off the lounge. It’s a world away from the kitchen in my old flat which had units that had likely once been white, but had become a dirty grey. The lino was cracked and the countertops old and worn. Misha’s kitchen glows in the morning sunshine. The expensive grey tile floor is warm on my feet, and the cabinets are a beautiful honey-gold wood that complements the granite worktop.

Misha uses the space only for making coffee and mixing his drinks, but I’m looking forward to properly cooking in here. My desire to learn how to cook was inspired by growing up with both Aidan and my mum. Aidan’s an excellent cook who is always in his kitchen; he’d been adamant that I learn the basics. My mum, in contrast, couldn’t boil an egg. So if I wanted to survive, or spend much time with Aidan, it was important to learn how to cook.

Tea made, I grab my hoodie from the back of the sofa and let myself out onto the balcony. I keep away from the edge because of my epilepsy, but there’s a sofa out here and I settle down on it, pulling a throw over my legs to ward off the cold. The view is amazing. Misha’s flat looks out over the Thames and has a side view of Tower Bridge, but my eyes are always drawn to the walkway below. I could sit here and people-watch until the cows come home. It’s a vibrant place buzzing with life at all hours of the day and night, so there’s always somebody to watch.

At the back of the building runs Shad Thames, one of the prettiest streets in London. It’s a narrow and cobbled road filled with lots of quaint shops and restaurants, dominated by the old goods gantries that criss-cross overhead and now house residents’ patio tables and chairs and pots of flowers. In the summer you can walk down the street and inhale the scent of flowers and catch the mist of water on the air as the homeowners water them. When I first moved in, I spent a happy few hours exploring the area and noting the rich trading history highlighted with names such as Cayenne Court and Tea Trade Wharf. The history buff in me was in heaven.

The flats are very expensive, but Misha’s dad had two big life insurance policies and Misha used his share to put down on the property. I know his mortgage is still hefty but he makes a lot of money with his job.