Jake could hear the false gaiety in his granddad’s voice.

Josephine walked across the grass towards her husband and her grandson slowly. The drugs were responsible for that; she couldn’t bring herself to break into a sprint these days. She sat down at the picnic table opposite her husband. He still looked so good, so very handsome. He got better looking as he got older; it was unfair.

Michael smiled at her. ‘You’re looking well, Josephine.’

But she wasn’t. She looked awful these days. She didn’t bother with her appearance any more. It was a good thing, according to her doctor. He wasn’t so sure himself.

She didn’t answer him. Instead she looked at Jake and, holding her arms out, she said sadly, ‘I could do with a hug, young man.’

Jake looked at his granddad and, when Michael nodded slightly, he went around the table, and allowed his nana to squeeze him to her tightly. When Jake finally managed to pull himself away from her, he went straight back to sit beside his granddad.

Josephine knew that she had been well and truly rejected by her grandson, but there was nothing she could do about it.

‘Really, Josephine, you do look much better. The doctor told me that you were finding it much easier to go outside. It’s wonderful to see you out here with us now.’

Josephine looked at her husband for long moments. He visited her twice, sometimes three times, a week and he seemed genuinely interested in her progress. But it was bullshit. She wasn’t stupid. She knew him better than he knew himself. He was just doing his duty. That was his trouble, he didn’t have a treacherous bone in his body. He was determined to divorce her, though, she knew that.

‘How are you, Michael? Good?’

He smiled gently. ‘Yeah, I’m fine. You know me, same old, same old.’

Josephine nodded in agreement. ‘I hear you’re having a right old time of it. Katherine Rourk, Danny’s daughter. I bet she could be your daughter, eh? She’s young enough.’

Michael didn’t answer her; it wasn’t any of her business.

She laughed nastily. ‘I still hear everything, Michael. I’m not fucking dead yet.’

He smiled back at her but his voice was steely as he said, ‘If you don’t watch your fucking mouth, that could be arranged sooner than you think, Josephine.’

‘Are you threatening me?’

He saw how she narrowed her eyes, and he wondered how he had let her rule him for so long. ‘Why would I do that, Josephine? If I was threatening you, believe me, you’d know it. I come here to see how you are and to bring your little grandson in to visit you. There’s no hidden agenda.’

Then she said angrily, ‘It’s been nearly six months, Michael. I want to go home.’