‘Good, I think. Being back in his own space has cheered him up no end. He was getting quite grumpy and fidgety while we were stuck in the discharge lounge waiting for the green light to go. Who calls it the discharge lounge anyway? Sounds like some kind of disease.’

I smile. ‘I’ll tell Mike, my flatmate. It’s part of his domain. Anyway, how are you doing?’

He smiles back. ‘I’m not the patient here.’

‘That doesn’t mean you’re not important as well. It’s a lot of responsibility for you to shoulder, and you’ve had to put your life on hold. If you’re struggling…’

‘I’ve only had him home for a couple of hours,’ he says with a laugh. ‘Even I can cope with that.’

My preconceptions are shattered further as Will unlocks the front door and steps aside to let me go first.

‘The kitchen’s straight down the hallway,’ he tells me. Far from being an old-fashioned, dark and gloomy space, Jonathan’s house is bright and airy, with light neutral shades on the walls and gorgeous paintings dotted about. There are landscapes and wildlife paintings of different sizes, plus the odd still life. The only clue to the age of the occupants is the chairlift occupying most of the space on the staircase. I’m guessing that the faint sound of a Hoover from somewhere upstairs is Gina or one of her crew. The kitchen, when I reach it, is another bright and airy room, largely due to the bifold doors that take up most of the rear wall. The units are modern and sleek, reminding me a little of the adverts you see on TV.

‘Just bung them on any worktop,’ Will says, heaving his own bags onto the side. ‘Dad’s in the living room, or he should be. I’ve banned him from going into the workshop when I’m not here, not that I really expect him to listen.’

‘The workshop?’ I ask.

‘Out there.’ He points through the doors to a building in the garden. It looks like one of those home offices that have become so popular recently, but it’s much larger. ‘I do want him to start spending time out there because I think it’ll be good for him, but there are a lot of power tools and so on, so I’d rather be around to keep an eye on him to begin with. Anyway, go through and say hello to Dad. I’ll sort out the stuff in here and then come and join you. Would you like a cup of tea or anything?’