They had come, they said, to cheer him up. Matt was on his way to a meeting in London and Ellie had a week off between changing locations with her charity in Africa. They had not planned ahead much, but when each had realized they would be free during the same week, they had decided on a surprise visit.

He looked at them sitting on either side of the kitchen table–Ellie as ever in clothes that would grace no fashionable shop, but looking as elegant as only she could in a pair of combat trousers and a sweat shirt emblazoned with the words ‘Feed Africa’, lest anyone should be in any doubt as to her intentions. Her fine fair hair was gathered up behind with a tortoiseshell clip. Her skin pale and clear and dusted with freckles courtesy of the African sun.

Matt wore a charcoal-grey sweater that had been revealed, along with the scarf around his neck, when he took off his thick overcoat. His features, if anything, were more refined nowadays. He had lost all remains of his childhood pudginess and turned into a youth every bit as handsome, in his father’s eyes, as Michelangelo’s David. You could have cracked an egg on his cheekbones. His hair was dark and curly. Nobody was quite certain where that had come from.

Ellie talked avidly about her work–laying on water, teaching people how to grow things, helping them to help themselves. Matt was more reticent. ‘Oh, it’s fine, you know. Busy. New magazines being launched. Company shake-ups.’

‘And have you heard from your mum?’ asked Christopher.

They both nodded, but seemed a little reticent. ‘Now and again,’ said Ellie.

‘Mmm,’ said Matt.

‘Think she’s pretty busy,’ offered Ellie. ‘Travelling a lot.’

Matt asked ‘You’ve not…?’

‘No,’ cut in Christopher. ‘No, I’ve not seen her for quite a while now.’

‘I see.’

He made to brighten the mood. ‘So, how long are you staying? Shall we go out to dinner? I can cancel what I was going to do…’

‘Well, I can stay for a few days,’ said Ellie, ‘but Matt’s got to go in a couple of hours.’

‘You’ve come all this way and you can only stay a couple of hours?’ asked Christopher.

‘Sorry, Dad. It was that or nothing.’

Christopher was anxious not to appear ungrateful. ‘Oh, I’m not nagging or anything. It’s just that…well…I’m glad you thought it was worth it.’

Matt looked quizzical. ‘What?’ Then he shook his head. ‘Just because we’re away from home now doesn’t mean…’

‘But you’ll stay for lunch?’

‘Of course. In fact…’ He reached down for the holdall that he had carried in with him and put it on the table. ‘Everything you need for a birthday lunch.’

Matt unzipped the bag and lifted out cheeses and paté, a bottle of champagne, crackers and pickle and, finally, a hand of bananas.

‘Bananas!’