Dad would have wormed it out of her PDQ. Or he’d have known already. And aren’t I behaving exactly like him now, instantly working out what Gemma is worth? My father’s comparison-itis was contagious, but I’ve tried so hard to turn my back on the resentment that came with it, the poor me bullshit that he used to justify all his scams and betrayals.

No. I’m not like him. Gemma’s not a ‘mark’, she’s . . . well, I don’t know yet, but I’d like to find out.

‘I don’t own the whole house,’ she says. ‘But my husband did get very lucky. He bought the balcony flat when the whole building was falling down. There were squatters and he had to wait almost two years before they left. It was worth the wait.’

Not quite a multi-million-pound pad then, but I don’t think you’d get any change from £600k in this location. What would she think if she saw where I live? Or found out that, more than once, me and my dad would have been the squatters her hubby was trying to get shot of.

‘Anyway, thanks for the croissant, and for giving Bear the best runaround he’s had in ages.’

‘Will you both be back at hospital school on Monday?’ Casey asks.

‘Bear and I never miss our visits.’

Gemma reaches out to hug Casey. I imagine how her body would feel if I got as close to her as Casey is now. If there’d still be a trace of the rose perfume I smelled when we met before. How soft she’d be, as I wrapped my arms around her waist and leaned in for a kiss . . .

When Casey lets go, I want to say something, do something, that delays the moment Gemma goes inside. Because despite – or maybe because of – our differences, I want to see her again.

You’ve been poison ever since you took your first breath.

The last thing Gemma needs is someone like me.

So I wave goodbye and slip my hand into Casey’s, making sure I do not glance back at this woman who has given me what my daughter would call all the feels.

Even Angelica can’t deny that Casey’s haircut is fantastic.

‘You look very grown-up,’ she says, but there’s a hint of disapproval.

‘Pepe was amazing. He had an accident years ago, so now he’s got this cool turbo-wheelchair that goes up and down, and he’s covered in tattoos. And he thinks my hair would look even better with some organic colour on it; it’s vegan and semi-permanent, so it wouldn’t be a problem when I go back to school in September and—’

‘No. No way.’

‘Please, Mum.’

‘If it’s about the money,’ I say, ‘then that’s not a problem – it’ll be my treat.’ I want to spend every penny of the income I’m getting from letting my place on Airbnb on spoiling my daughter.

‘It is not about the money. It’s about Casey’s well-being.’