‘I know,’ Tom said. ‘And I think I am. I think there’s a way for us both to get what we need. We can find ways to feel safe, which is all I really want. And it’s been coming between us, which is no good.’

‘You’re a good husband,’ his mum said. ‘Have you told her?’

‘Not yet. I’ll do it later.’

‘When you do, can you ask her what she wants for her birthday? It’s coming up,’ his mum said.

‘When is it?’ Roland said.

‘Just under two weeks,’ Tom said. ‘I need to get her something myself.’

‘If you’re having a hard time, get her something to remind her of your relationship,’ his mum said. ‘Something about you two and Joanna.’

‘Like what?’ Tom said.

‘I don’t know. Think about it.’ His mum sipped from a large glass of water. ‘A photo book. I made your dad one, once. Photos of him and me and you two. From all the phases of his life.’

‘Did he like it?’ Tom asked.

‘You know your dad. He didn’t say much, but he kept it, all these years. I found him looking at it once, tears in his eyes. I’d forgotten he could cry.’

‘I could do that for Alice,’ Tom said. ‘But she doesn’t have many photos from her childhood.’

‘Why not?’ Roland said.

‘When her parents died and she sold the house, they got lost,’ Tom said. ‘We talked about it once. A lot of her parents’ stuff – furniture, that kind of thing – was given away or sold. She had nowhere to put it. The photos disappeared in the shuffle.’

‘See if you can get any,’ his mum said. ‘Ask her friends if they have any.’

‘She’s not really in touch with her childhood friends,’ Tom said.

‘Tom! Get creative! Find them on Facebook and ask them. Do you know their names?’

‘I know one, Nellie Clarke.’

‘Then contact her. Say it’s a surprise. She’ll be glad to help, I’m sure.’

‘You know,’ Tom said. ‘That’s not a bad idea.’

‘Don’t sound so surprised,’ his mum said. ‘I’m not a total idiot.’

‘I know, Mum. I have to go soon, but there was one thing I wanted to talk to you about.’

‘Oh?’

‘It’s Joanna. She’s had’ – he hesitated – he wanted to bring this up without it sounding accusatory – ‘she’s had a couple of bruises.’

‘Bruises? Where?’

He touched his upper arm. ‘There. And a new one on her thigh.’ He pulled down her pants. ‘Look.’

His mum came over and examined Joanna’s leg. ‘Gosh,’ she said. ‘That’s quite bad. How did it happen?’

‘We don’t know,’ Tom said. ‘We’re trying to figure it out. Maybe she was falling and someone grabbed her’ – he glanced at Roland – ‘which would be fine. We’d like to find out.’

‘Well, I have no clue,’ his mum said.