‘She’s not making sense.’ I felt his kiss light on my head. He snivelled.

‘Why are you crying?’

‘Shit, she’s so cold. Try and stay awake, baby. Keep looking at me. It’s gonna be OK. I’m not going to leave you. I got you now, I got you.’

It was the last thing I remember hearing. But it was all I needed to hear.

Wednesday, 19 June – St Christopher’s Hospital, Colonia Centro, San Jose del Cabo

Raf’s face was the first I saw when I opened my eyes. I was lying in a bed and he was asleep in a chair beside me. It was night outside. I didn’t know where we were, I was just glad he was with me.

A short nurse with thick calf muscles came in and drew the curtains.

‘Hey, you’re awake!’ she said spryly. Her badge said María del Carmen. She knew what I was thinking. ‘The doctor will be in to see you soon. I’ll let you come round a little first.’ She looked across at Raf, still sleeping. ‘He’s barely left that chair in three days. He must like you a lot.’

I went to speak but no words came out.

‘It’ll be a while before we know if the operation has worked. You might not feel anything in your fingers immediately but that’s normal. You’re going to need some rehabilitation but there’s every chance it will function again. You were lucky it went on ice so quickly.’

I stared at my left arm, resting in an elevated stirrup, all bandaged up and nowhere to go. Last time I’d seen it, it had been dangling in the cuff in front of Tenoch’s fireplace. My sides ached and I couldn’t move my fingers – they wouldn’t respond to any command but it was there. I didn’t know how but it was there.

‘Yeah, you got some cracked ribs too. They did quite a number on you, hun. But you’re here, and you’re gonna be all right. Can I get you anything?’

I willed her to read my mind that I needed a wee. And again, she just knew.

‘You’ve got your bag all connected up so don’t you worry about getting up and going to the bathroom.’

Fucking hell, I thought. She really was a mind reader. I willed my mouth to speak but the words were lost, somewhere between my brain and my face. She walked over to Raf’s side and flicked on the light. That woke him up.

He immediately roused himself and looked over to me. ‘Hey, baby, there you are,’ he said, forcing his eyes open wider. ‘How are you doing?’

I couldn’t even smile at him. I could blink, that was about it.