‘That’s how he earned enough to play with fireworks and light shows for the rest of his life,’ my dad says, and everyone smiles.

DL’s different with his friends. He’s relaxed and funny, and the way they tease him, it’s obvious that they’re all so happy together.

Gemma’s seeing it too. I want to tell him to say something to her, to show he likes her as much as she likes him. Not kissing – they’re way too old. But he mustn’t let her go. She needs to be here whenever I come back to Bristol.

Because he wants me to come back, doesn’t he? That’s why he’s done this. He is going to let me be be a part of his life. I won him round. I was cute enough and funny enough. I even brought Gemma into his life.

I fixed it. How amazing is that? But what about Mum? I haven’t fixed her.

DL could, though. If he can afford all this, then he could pay for Mum to talk to someone who’ll help her get better, the way that Gemma helped me. Even though Mum doesn’t have a Bob, she has stuff in her head that stops her being happy. She needs help getting rid of it.

‘I love this song,’ Gemma says as the music changes.

And I recognize it: the curtains song, ‘One Day Like This’.

Eddie picks up his guitar to play along. The words are weird, but the melody sounds like tonight feels: bright and happy. Soon they’re all joining in: the pretty agent and her husband are harmonizing. Vijay taps out the rhythm on the floor. Wow! I can tell by watching them that evenings like this aren’t even a big deal, because music is in their blood.

I always thought I was like Mum – she isn’t bothered about dancing or music, has only ever been to one festival, and that’s the one that made me.

But what if music is in my blood too, because of DL?

Everything about being here is magic. I can almost forget Bob and tomorrow’s treatment and what the consultant might say next week.

These people are what I want to be when I grow up.

If I get to grow up.

Chapter 25: Dan

I feel high, even though I haven’t taken anything.

It’s this night. It’s perfection: the music. The sky. The people.

After fetching another beer from the fridge, I pause for a second, taking it in. Idoia sits with her tiny daughter snuggled in her lap. Eddie’s fingers strum his guitar. I’ve missed my friends this month. But mostly I keep going back to looking at Casey and Gemma. Eighteen days ago they were strangers. Now I never want to let them go.

Vijay walks into my eyeline and gives me a thumbs up. He knows how much this matters to me.

‘You seem happy,’ he whispers. ‘No wonder. Casey is adorable.’

They both are. I nod. ‘Right? I’m bloody lucky. Angelica did all the hard work and I got this incredible daughter.’