A waitress approached them, notepad in hand. ‘Can I get you some tea?’

Ted nodded. ‘A pot for two, please and …’ He eyed the menu quickly, before looking at Olivia with a raised eyebrow.

‘Just porridge for me, please,’ said Olivia. ‘I’m not awfully hungry.’

He nodded briefly. ‘Make that two bowls of porridge.’

The waitress went off to get their order, and Olivia glanced at Ted. ‘We’ll have our brekker and get going.’

‘I hope it’s not too far.’ Ted looked out of the window at the passers-by. ‘Have you thought of what you want to say, when we get to the crem?’

She shrugged. ‘I think it’s one of those I’ll-cross-that-bridge-when-I-come-to-it, moments. What about you?’

He reached into his bag and pulled out a small teddy bear which he handed to Olivia. ‘Don’t laugh, but this was mine when I was little.’

‘And you still carry it around with you?’ Olivia asked, smiling.

He gave an awkward grin as a blush rose up his neckline. ‘Kind of, it was the last thing my mother gave me.’

The amused smile instantly disappeared from Olivia’s lips. ‘Oh, Ted, I’m sorry for making fun.’

He shrugged. ‘I thought I’d ask if I could leave it wherever they scattered the ashes, so that our child had a toy …’ He broke off. ‘Oh, Liv, I’m sorry.’

Tears brimmed in Olivia’s eyes, and she fished a handkerchief from her handbag. ‘Don’t apologise, I think it’s a beautiful thing to do.’ Her lip wobbled. ‘You’d have made a brilliant father.’

He smiled. ‘I hope I still might one day.’

She blew her nose, then leaned back as the waitress arrived with their breakfast. Olivia picked up her handbag and began to search through its contents, before tipping them out on to her lap.

‘Lost summat?’ asked Ted, who was craning over the table to see what Olivia was looking for.

She nodded. ‘I don’t believe it! All this way, and I’ve forgotten the damned paper.’

Ted frowned. ‘What paper’s this?’

Stuffing the contents back into her handbag, she zipped it closed. ‘The paper with the address of the crem. I meant to bring it with me, but I must have left it in Liverpool.’

The waitress caught Olivia’s eye. ‘Sorry to interrupt, but if you’re talking about the crem in Glasgow, there’s only one.’

A look of relief swept over Olivia’s features. ‘Thank goodness for that! I don’t suppose you know where it is?’

The waitress nodded. ‘Tresta Road. You can get there on the number six, it’ll take you straight to the entrance. I know, because it’s the same bus I catch to go home.’ She smiled briefly. ‘Will there be anything else?’

Olivia shook her head. ‘You’ve been very helpful, thank you.’