‘So you’ve been discharged?’ I don’t say cured because we both know it’s never that simple.

‘From the hospital down here, yes. I rang the end-of-treatment bell and everything. Fern is going to send me the video of it, so I can WhatsApp it to you . . .’ Casey stops. ‘I wish you’d been there.’

I smile. ‘Me too. But what matters is that the treatment has done what your consultant wanted it to, right?’

Casey puts Bear down on the pavement, holding onto the lead as he sniffs the weeds growing around the legs of a bench. ‘I guess.’

‘You’re leaving now?’

‘Yeah. Mum wants to miss the Friday afternoon traffic.’

‘How are you feeling about going home?’

‘I won’t miss the hospital, but I will miss Bristol. And you. If I come back,’ she glances up at Dan, ‘can I come and see you and Bear, too?’

‘I’d love that.’

‘Plus, Dad wants to show me his flat. His real flat. He’s promised to always tell the truth, but . . .’ Casey frowns. ‘Have you forgiven him, Gemma? Because if you believe he won’t let us down again, that’s enough for me.’

I can hear in her voice how much she needs it to be true. ‘I think your father is a decent person who made some bad choices, after even worse things happened to him. And I believe he’ll keep his promises this time.’

Dan’s face softens. ‘Thank you.’

I have to force myself to turn back to Casey.

Casey smiles mischievously. ‘Are you and Dad going to stay friends?’ She puts air quotes around ‘friends’.

I say nothing. Dan is squirming too.

Her mobile rings. ‘On my way back now, Mum. Don’t panic!’ After Casey ends the call, she throws her arms around me. ‘You and Bear are the best. I love you both so much. And I’ll be back before you can say cheese and mushroom croissants to go.’

She gives me a kiss before half walking, half skipping along the path back to the main road.

Dan gestures towards her and says, ‘This is all down to you, Gemma. I called Angelica first thing. Met her. Told her what happened with Vaughn, but also we talked to each other like adults for the first time. So thank you.’

‘Don’t be silly. I’m sure you’d have worked out a better way of communicating with her on your own.’

He shakes his head. ‘I don’t think that’s true. I was too stuck in that headspace where I blamed myself for everything going tits up, but still felt like a victim. You made me see what I have to do to live in the present and—’

Casey calls out, ‘Come on, Dad!’ and he shrugs apologetically, then jogs across the grass to catch her up.

Bear pulls, wanting to walk with them, but it’s time to let them go.

‘Good boy, Teddy Bear,’ I say when he stops pulling. I’m so tired I could lie down on the grass and fall asleep. He watches until they both disappear, then shakes himself off and begins to lead me back to the car to go home.