‘Danny-boy, you look like a wet weekend in Weston-super-Mud? Let Uncle Veej solve your problems for you.’

‘I still haven’t told her.’

‘Told her what?’

‘I haven’t told Casey that it’s not my apartment. Or any of the stuff before that. None of it. She thinks I’m this super-cool, super-rich music mogul.’

Vijay frowns. ‘Mate. When were you planning to drop the bombshells?’

‘I should have done it on day one, but Angelica was being petty, which made things tense, so I thought, all right, I’ll do it tomorrow.’

‘But tomorrow never comes.’ Vijay sighs impatiently. ‘OK, so you need to organize a get-together, to give yourself an unavoidable deadline for telling the truth.’

I shake my head. ‘No, Casey will hate me.’

‘Listen. She won’t hate you. No one can hate you for long.’

‘Angelica has hated me for twelve years.’

‘That doesn’t count. You’re one of the good guys, Dan. And you’ve gone from nought to sixty on the parenting front, so you’re bound to make the odd mistake. You need to fess up to Casey. Yes, she’ll be disappointed, perhaps a bit hurt. But kids move on fast if you grovel. Trust me on this. If I had a pound for every time I’ve screwed up with Harrison, I’d be—’

‘A millionaire? Oh no, you’re one of those already.’

He laughs. ‘I walked into that, didn’t I? My point is, Harrison doesn’t think any less of me because I admit to my mistakes.’

It is true. Despite his parents’ divorce, Harrison adores his dad. ‘Where would I begin?’

‘Don’t overload her. Start with the flat. You don’t need to go way back – it’s ancient history for someone Casey’s age. Tell her you made a mistake; show her you won’t do it again.’

He makes it sound so easy. And maybe he’s right, not just about Casey, but also about Gemma. She’s connected with this new me, the hands-on dad, the guy in touch with his feelings. What counts is the person I am now, not the things I got wrong years ago.

‘So when could we come over? No need to prep. Delivery pizzas, a crate of beer and a chance to get to know each other.’

My eyes close as I imagine it. And even though it’s way too soon, I picture Gemma in the room too. Crazy or what? Except that the idea of her not being there seems even crazier.

My fingers twitch because I want to check my phone, see if she’s messaged me or tried to call. I pick it up, pretending to load my calendar app. No message. I don’t let the disappointment last. She’ll be having a busy day, that’s all.

‘OK, you’re right. I’ll organize it. This week.’

‘You’d better,’ Vijay says, standing up, rubbing his hands together, as he always does when he’s excited about A Big Plan. ‘Or we will turn up en masse and refuse to go away.’

I get to the hospital early and check myself in the jeep’s mirror, straightening my hair and flicking sawdust off my shirt. For once, the buzz as I go into the lobby isn’t fear: it’s excitement.