Across the street, Indra’s thin frame was visible next to her sister’s stronger build. She was talking to two men in suits.

‘Agnieszka’s gone home.’ Rosa turned to face her own shop and I followed her inside. The shelves were finally empty, and crates bulged with items for Rosa to sort through. ‘The new owners will gut the place and sort the damp out. It’s what it needs. I don’t know how I didn’t see it.’ She was gathering up a few remaining pieces of stock and stacking them on the counter for the removal men. ‘Basildon Bond notepaper?’ She attempted a feeble laugh. ‘No-one writes letters anymore, do they?’

‘Not so much, no.’ It was something Mum would say.

She flipped the CLOSED sign over on the door and turned to me. ‘Thank you for what you said. Józef did help his father. They worked together for years. I don’t know where I got the idea from that I couldn’t let Tomasz help me. Stupid pride, I suppose.’ She sighed, and regret crept into her face. ‘Józef was so hard on Tomasz. Refused to accept his ideas or help. I thought I had to be like that too otherwise I was being disloyal to his memory.’ She looked over at the racks of trendy mobile phone covers and battery packs. ‘Those were Tomasz’s suggestion and they were one of our best sellers.’ She laughed now, a proper laugh.

‘Have you thought about where you’ll move to?’ I asked.

‘I won’t stay round here now. So much has changed, and none of it is going to change back just because I’d like it to. I’ve lost my husband, and now my son. My future is with Agnieszka and the children. Apparently, Tomasz has bought a house for me in East Ham. I’ll wait ’til I feel a bit stronger and I’ll probably move in there.’

‘That’s a good idea. You’ll have your own independence, and you’ll have company close by when you want it.’

‘I’m struggling to get my head round Tomasz paying someone to set fire to this place. Did he really believe it would do me a favour?’

‘I think so.’ As I said it, I wondered again whether I believed it. Was the gap between the Tomasz I’d known as a child and the one he was now so wide? I didn’t think it was. ‘He said he found it upsetting to see you struggling in the shop and feeling guilty.’ I could clearly recall his face when he spoke to me yesterday. ‘He thought a small fire would solve things for you.’ As I said it, I realised that in a way, it had.