“We don’t need to chat,” Tina began in protest, but the nurse had already left the cubicle with a rattle of the curtain rings.

“It’s fine, Mum,” Olivia said, trying to sound upbeat. “The doctor most likely just wants to check you’re all right.”

“I know I’m all right,” Tina said irritably. “Honestly, such a fuss.” She half-rose from her chair. “Let’s just go home, Olivia. I really want to go home.”

“Mum.” As gently as she could, Olivia put her hand on her mother’s shoulder and steered her back into the chair. “Let’s just wait and see what he says, okay? You want the best care.”

Tina continued to fret, and Olivia’s own agitation grew as they waited another twenty minutes for the consultant on call to come in. Finally he did, looking far too young and cheerful.

“Hello, there.” He scanned Tina’s notes quickly before sitting in front of her with a kindly smile. “The nurse has suggested you be referred to your GP for a few tests.”

“Tests? I’ve burned myself,” Tina retorted, sounding far bolshier than Olivia had ever heard her sound before. “What kind of tests do I need?”

The doctor’s eyes were kind as he answered steadily, “The nurse suggested it might be advisable that you have a cognitive test. It’s a simple one, done at the GP’s, and it only takes five minutes.” He glanced at Olivia. “If you ring tomorrow, you might get an early appointment or a cancellation.”

“Tomorrow...” Olivia’s mind spun and spun. A cognitive test? What was the doctor saying? She glanced at her mother, whose irritation had vanished; she now seemed to be sinking into herself, her head and gaze both lowered.

“All right, then,” she said quietly, and panic seized Olivia, a visceral clawing of her insides. Her mother looked almost as if she’d given up, and Olivia wasn’t even sure what was going on.

She wanted to ask the doctor about the cognitive test and what it meant, but she was also afraid to. Finally she found the words. “What is this cognitive test?” she asked shakily. “What would it be testing for?”

“It’s an early assessment to check for memory loss and signs of dementia,” he answered and Olivia nearly staggered. Dementia...?

“But my mother burned herself, she didn’t...” She trailed off, remembering how Tina had mistaken the cause of the burn, and a dozen other details besides. How fretful she’d seemed. How she didn’t want to go out. How she’d lost interest in so many things she’d once loved—the shop, baking, bridge, even Christmas.

The doctor must have seen the dawning terror in her eyes for he said gently, “It’s just a test. A check. Your GP can take it from there and who knows, it may be nothing. But it’s important to rule things out.”

Or rule things in? Olivia murmured something in agreement, and then she was helping her mum into her coat and they were walking into the brightly lit waiting room, Simon rising expectantly as they approached him, but Olivia felt too dazed to say anything.