Because of course she was slipping away. Valentine knew that. He wasn’t daft. He didn’t need Mr Richards and his team leader to call him in to tell him. Gisele didn’t need blood tests. She was disappearing fast before his eyes – not only mentally, but physically.

‘If you don’t mind, I’d like to take her to Whitby first.’

The way Mr Richards’s chest inflated in his neatly ironed shirt, it would appear that he minded rather a lot.

‘Just for the day,’ added Valentine, hoping to appease him.

‘I’m afraid we don’t recommend day trips, not for the first six months, as it can upset their routine.’

‘But you couldn’t stop me.’

Valentine watched the looks fly between the senior manager and his team leader. Up till now, her role at today’s meeting appeared to be more in a supportive, paper-shuffling, note-taking capacity. But now, judging by the look he’d thrown her, it would appear that her role was to rescue the manager from this cantankerous old man.

‘No, of course not, Mr Crowther.’ She smiled brightly. ‘We’re not here to stop families seeing their loved ones.’

Valentine felt himself relax. He didn’t mean for it to come out like that; he was just upset and feeling frustrated.

‘Now, how about I make us all a nice cup of tea and we can talk it over? Perhaps put a date in the diary for later in the year?’ She stood up, watched by a relieved Mr Richards. ‘How do you take it? Milk? Sugar?’

Valentine felt a flash of disappointment, followed by determination.

‘Actually, no, but thank you.’ He stood up and doffed his cap. ‘I’ve taken up too much of your precious time already.’

Turning to leave, he smiled gratefully. Because really, at the end of the day, they were bloody saints, the lot of them. Keeping Gisele safe, looking after her and everyone else’s loved ones too. He’d seen how kind and patient the care workers were, and he owed them all a great debt.

But that wasn’t going to stop him taking his wife to the seaside to visit the sea.

‘Forecast for Monday is sunshine. I’ll see you both then.’

Hey you,

Wish you were here!

Thought I would send you a postcard from Whitby. I’m on a day trip with my friends Valentine, his wife Gisele, Maya, who I used to tutor – oh and Will came too. Did I tell you he’s staying with me for a few days? Anyway we all drove here this morning in Valentine’s old camper van (thank God Harry’s got over his carsickness). We took ‘the scenic route’, but really I think we just got lost, and when we finally saw the sea Gisele was so excited. As was Harry!

I think it’s his first time at the seaside, as he went a bit crazy on the beach, barking at the waves and trying to catch them. He made everyone laugh, including Gisele, which was pretty special as she hasn’t been very well. Valentine says it’s the first time he’s seen her laugh like that in ages. It’s been great getting to spend time with Will again too. Wait until you see him again; he’s grown so tall! He and Maya seem to have really hit it off – holiday romance, maybe??