‘Casey arrived early and her birth was really rough on me. She was a big baby and I was tiny. My parents rallied round for once, took me back home to recover. I kept trying to call the prison, but I was so out of it . . .’

She looks very young now, as she remembers. ‘And when I finally got back to the bedsit in Bristol there was a letter waiting. The envelope was so thin, I didn’t open it for hours, because I knew what it was. Dan had changed his mind. Wasn’t ready for a kid or commitment. I was so exhausted I didn’t have enough spare energy to hate him.’

‘That’s terrible.’

‘My parents said he must have been conning me too, stringing me along to reduce his sentence and ditching me when it didn’t work.’

I picture Angelica as she realized there was no other explanation. Her bitterness makes much more sense. ‘That’s so cruel. To give you hope and then—’

She shrugs. ‘I got over it. I don’t regret Casey, and I’d have been bloody miserable following the path my parents wanted for me. She helped me escape. But this’ – she gestures around the space – ‘what he’s done to Casey, I can’t forgive. She’s hurting so badly. I can’t believe I let myself be fooled a second time.’

‘Why do you think he chose to reply to her messages after so long?’

‘Best case? He wanted to help because of the tumour. Maybe it’s the same instinct that made him help me at Glastonbury, because he’s a sucker for waifs and strays, but when he actually realizes that means commitment, he runs a mile. The worst case? A scam of some kind? Who even knows?’ She stands up. ‘I’m done with trying to psychoanalyse him. I need to go and pick Casey up soon: it’s her last day at hospital school and they’re having a little send-off for her.’

‘Sure. Of course. I’ll be keeping everything crossed for tomorrow. Will you tell her I’m thinking about her?’

Angelica smiles tightly and I think, She’s not going to mention me at all. Perhaps that’s best for Casey. ‘I tried to warn you, Gemma. But we never listen till it happens to us. He should come with a health warning tattooed on his forehead. Or his dick.’

I want to tell her that we never slept together, but the truth is, if it hadn’t been for the FET, we probably would have. ‘Thanks for talking to me. It must be hard.’

She holds my gaze. ‘No. It’s easy. Casey comes first. Like I told you before, kids make life simple.’

And I see that even though some of her choices seem flawed to me, she will protect Casey, and Casey will be OK.

But what about me? As soon as I’m in the lift with Bear, my throat tightens and my eyes sting. I make it to the car before the first angry sob bursts out. I’m angry at Dan for lying and cheating. Angry at Andrew for leaving me at the mercy of con men.