The laptop is turned to face them and when its screen finally loads it’s crowded with icons over a distorted screensaver of Makimei holding a trophy, his smile stretched too widely. He opens a folder and shows them some photos of buildings in rural areas. ‘Here,’ he says, ‘Purity runs the volunteer house in Kikuyu. It only has three volunteers this month, all from the United Kingdom. But there will be more in the New Year. And this is the hospital where they are working.’ He flicks through more images, each one filled with more poverty than the last.

‘Sorry,’ Yvonne snaps, ‘where is Purity?’

‘In Kikuyu.’

‘Great. And that’s nearby?’

It would be amazing to show up at her work and surprise her. They could convince her to leave early and spend the afternoon together. On Saturdays when Cynthia would be out shopping Mum always used to talk Purity into leaving the housework and going for lunch with them. There was a little café at the end of their road run by locals. They’d sit on the plastic chairs roadside and throw crumbs to the giant cockerel that used to peck about. Maybe they could find that same place again.

‘Kikuyu is two hours away,’ Makimei says.

‘Two hours?’

‘Purity is looking after one of the young volunteers who is unwell. It is not possible for her to travel into the city today.’

Of course she is, she was always looking after everyone. She looked after him when he got sick during his first month in Kenya. Maybe it was from the water or change in food. Mum was ill too and sleeping all the time. So it was Purity who was cleaning the puke from his hair and stroking his head till he fell asleep.

‘You should visit her in Kikuyu,’ Makimei says but Yvonne shakes her head. ‘Actually, I’m not sure we want to make that kind of journey. We can phone her instead.’

‘Yes, of course.’

Makimei writes on a notepad and rips the page out, but it’s only an address. ‘There is no phone there at the house, not for many weeks now. But I will leave a message with a friend of mine who lives locally. He can get word to Purity that you are coming.’

‘Thanks,’ Kiama says. What’s two hours anyway? They’ve already travelled over twelve to get here.

They thank him and head back out.

‘What an absolute waste of time,’ Yvonne says.

Kiama’s mind immediately jumps to how he could help at the hospital; it’s like kismet or something, they were meant to meet Makimei today, they were meant to hear about his work. Kiama can’t wait to tell Purity that he’s going to start supporting the charity she works for.