Will counts back in his head to when it kicked off in the pub. It was the Sunday before last – he’s due this weekend. ‘Is he coming down?’

‘That’s why he rang. Said he’ll be giving it a miss.’

Will gestures towards Nain. ‘Because of …?’

‘God, no! Nothing to do with this,’ his mum says, almost gleefully. ‘Told me all about the fun he had with you and Danny last time. Quite the ruckus, I hear.’

‘It was nothing really.’

‘Well, Will, your father won’t be coming down until further notice.’

‘OK.’

‘All my fault, apparently. You boys running riot. Your lack of respect.’ She rolls her eyes.

‘Interesting.’

‘He said you need to learn that family comes first.’

There’s a silence as Will and his mum’s eyes lock.

‘He really said that?’

‘Yes, really.’ She begins to smirk.

‘He said we need to learn that family comes first?’ Will grins.

‘I shit you not, Will.’

In the muted laughter that follows, Will feels sure that even Nain is enjoying the joke.

‘Your date,’ Will’s mum says abruptly, just as he’s beginning to settle back into his vigil-keeping, chin resting against the bed rail.

‘You sure it’s …’

‘Just go, Will.’

‘It’s not a date. Not really.’

His mum stands, wagging a finger. ‘Will you go already!’

Salvage

‘It’s … really good to see you,’ Will says, eyes flitting from April to the beer he swills round his pint glass.

‘Yeah. You too.’ She smiles awkwardly. ‘Didn’t we already say that?’

‘How you been?’ As he says it, he realizes they’ve covered this several times already, too.

‘Good.’

‘Great.’

‘Miserable actually, Will.’

‘Shit. Really?’

‘And you’re not?’ She sips from her glass of champagne.

She’d told Will to decide what to get her at the bar, but he’s now embarrassed by his attempt to appear sophisticated. Mick Touch had been good enough to let him have it free, though. ‘Don’t get much cause for the good stuff in the Smugglers saloon bar,’ he’d told Will.

‘Course I am,’ Will says. ‘Fucking miserable.’

‘I am glad you called. Been sort of hoping …’

They are seated in a booth in the window and take it in turns to gaze out in preference to meeting each other’s eye. Beyond the cars that zip along Coast Drive, a stripe of moonlight sways on the choppy sea.

‘Been so desperate to, like, sort things,’ April says. ‘Can’t bear the idea of doing this rave of ours without –’

‘Of yours, really,’ Will says.

‘Bollocks. It’s our baby. And it’s this week, Will. Can you believe it?’

‘You still want me … involved?’

‘Stupid fucking question, Will.’

‘Right.’

‘More than anything. I’m literally dying to see you play.’

‘Literally dying?’

She clutches her heart. ‘Oh yes. No pressure.’