Lily gazed at him. She looked as if she were absorbing the same truth.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said awkwardly. ‘But she seems literally to have no options. Vicky and Nicola are her best friends. They were going to look after her post-op. It would never have occurred to her that, as they’re sisters, if one had a family emergency it would mean both of them did.’

She frowned.

‘It’s not that we’re together any more,’ he began again.

‘Of course you must go,’ she said simply. ‘I’ll tell the others then you and I can run to the station. We can use our phones to search for flights from the train.’ It seemed that while she’d been staring and frowning at him she hadn’t been getting angry. She’d been deciding how to help.

They hurried back in the direction of the singing Christmas tree. Lily grabbed Carola and gabbled into her ear. Carola looked shocked and then nodded, raising her voice over ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’. ‘We’ll make our own way back when we’re ready. Don’t worry.’

Then Lily grabbed Isaac’s hand and they began to jog to the station, jumping on and off the pavement to brush past people, the Christmas lights reflecting in wetness on the pavements that he suddenly realised came from light snow that was stinging their faces as they ran.

Lily had appointed herself leader of the expedition. On the station concourse she studied the departure boards, dark blue with white writing, and found their train. ‘Platform five for the 18.43 to Biberbrugg. We’ve only got two minutes – run!’ Then she stopped so abruptly that he cannoned into her. ‘Wait.’ She frowned, panting for breath, her gaze fixed to the departure boards again. ‘I don’t suppose you have your passport with you now?’

He patted the zipped pocket of his coat. ‘Yes. I’m one of those tourists who keeps it on them.’

She lifted her gaze to his. ‘Unless there are really late flights it’s never going to work going to Biberbrugg and then driving to Schützenberg for your things. You’ll have clothes and stuff at home so let’s get the train straight to the airport. There’s an airport shuttle in a few minutes. I can pack up your stuff to bring it home and look after Doggo for you.’

‘Doggo! I hadn’t even thought …’ He tried to fold his foggy mind around this new idea. ‘You’re right. I’ll do that.’ So they ran to the ticket office. Isaac knew he ought to almost literally be able to run rings around Lily but his legs seemed made from water and it was all he could do to keep going as she urged him through the barrier and onto the train.

Three words boomed through his brain. Cancer. Mastectomy. Hayley.

Oh, shit.