‘Yeah, it’s been eight hours.’ He lets his hair out and it sticks up around his head like a fluffy mane. ‘You were out of it. What did you take?’

‘Zopiclone.’

‘Jesus,’ he laughs. ‘That’s no over-the-counter stuff, is it?’

‘I hardly ever use them. Only when I’ve got a lot on at work. I thought they would be good for the flight.’

‘You don’t need to explain, I’m the last person to judge when it comes to taking pills. Trust me.’

‘Haven’t you slept?’

‘No. I never sleep on a flight,’ he yawns.

‘Do you want one for the next leg? Or maybe half?’

He laughs again. ‘I can’t believe you’re offering me prescription drugs. Is this what Dad was worrying about when I got in touch with you?’

‘Sorry, I don’t know why I said that.’

‘I’m not a good sleeper,’ he says, almost apologetically. ‘Nana and Dad never believed in medicating me, so I’ve learned to deal with it over the years in my own way.’

‘Insomnia?’ she asks.

‘Nah, everyone gets that. More like night terrors and stuff. I’ve not had them in a while, but any little thing can trigger it. I definitely don’t sleep easily.’ He zips his EarPods in a little case and looks out of the window at the dark night. ‘Right, we’ve got two hours to kill, let’s go.’

They walk around the glittered floor of the Duty Free at Dubai International Airport browsing cosmetics, premium alcohol and gold lamps on key chains. She allows him to buy her a large green smoothie which she sips until it gives her a headache and then throws away while he’s distracted by a yellow Porsche parked in the lounge.

‘Have you started lessons?’ Yvonne asks.

‘No. I never really had a need for it. Nana used to drive me everywhere. I could call her at 2 a.m. and she’d come and get me.’

‘That’s ridiculous,’ Yvonne says as they walk on.

‘I know, right. I miss her.’ He stops at a stand filled with stuffed toy camels and starts rearranging them.

‘She used to spoil you. You always used to come back from her house with something new; trainers, toys, whatever you wanted.’

‘Maybe I deserved it.’

‘Ha,’ Yvonne says. ‘Though I think I was probably the same with you.’

He adds a final camel to his display and takes a photo of it before he walks off. When Yvonne looks he’s posed them in a lewd sex act, which she dismantles before following him.

The flight to Nairobi is announced and hearing the destination causes her stomach to drop. She’s kept herself busy going through the motions of travelling, of listening to Kiama, but now it hits her.