‘I can’t imagine how tough it’s been on you, especially this week,’ he continues. ‘You’re bearing up so well. And I’m not here to waltz in and save you—Athena made it very clear on the way over that you’re far too strong to need saving, and I agree.’ He twists my hair idly into a soaking rope before resuming his stroking. ‘You’ve been saving yourself and your little girl for longer than I can bear. But I’m here to support you for as much as you need, okay? Let me take some slack off you, whatever I can, even if it’s doing laundry runs for you, or sitting with Tabs every day while you come back here and shower. I’m not going anywhere.’

‘What do you mean, you’re not going anywhere?’ I mutter against his skin.

‘I mean, I’m staying here till she gets discharged.’

I summon the energy to lift my head so I can gape up at him. He looks down at me and nods sternly.

‘Seriously. I’m not leaving you.’

‘But you can’t do that,’ I protest. ‘We could be here another week! You have work—oh my God, isn’t it the summit this week?’ I wade through the treacle in my brain. ‘Wednesday?’

‘Today is Wednesday, love. I canned it.’

I gasp. This summit has been Brendan’s sole professional focus for weeks. I know what a massive deal it is for him. It’s today? And he’s here, casually hugging me in the shower like he has nowhere else to be?

The horror on my face makes him smile. ‘It’s just work. Whatever. No one’s saving lives. Not like you.’ He gathers me close again, and I lay my cheek against his chest. ‘Through that lens, it’s completely unimportant. Everything is unimportant compared to you and what you’re going through right now. Do you understand what I’m saying?’

His heart beats steadily against my cheek as he resumes stroking my hair. I can’t hear his heartbeat under the thunderous water, but I can feel it. I’ve spent the past few days monitoring the beat of my daughter’s heart, obsessing over it. The steadfastness of Brendan’s tells me he’s healthy. Strong enough to take some of this cup of suffering for me.

He fucked up big time last week with his nasty, degrading behaviour, and I honestly don’t know where that leaves our unique professional relationship. But right now he’s here. He’s sacked off a huge career opportunity and chartered a jet and crossed an ocean to be here with me. And he’s telling me he’s not going anywhere. That he’s staying here, of his own volition, for me and for a child he doesn’t know, for whom he bears no parental responsibility.