‘No, not yet. I need to call her.’

‘I’ll do it,’ Ben cut in, feeling a sense of pride and relief that his mum had turned to him first. ‘And I’ll pick her up and bring her with me.’

‘Thank you, darling. Drive safely … but please hurry.’

Ben felt an ache of longing to get to his mum and protect her. ‘I will. Love you,’ he added, as he hung up.

‘What’s happened? Is it your dad?’ Bella stood up, her eyes huge in her suddenly pale face.

Ben nodded, biting his lip to fight back the tears that still threatened. Bella came over and wrapped her arms around him. He could feel her shaking and even in his panicked state, it touched him that she was so affected.

Ben took a deep breath. ‘I need to call Emma and go now.’

Bella nodded. ‘Of course you do.’

Ben gazed at her in surprise. He had grown so used to her prickliness where his family was concerned, that he was almost expecting her to tell him he wasn’t allowed.

‘Let me know the second you have any news,’ she added.

Ben nodded. ‘Of course. Just keep an eye on our baby girl while I’m gone.’ He knelt on the floor and kissed Elodie, who beamed up at him with a gummy smile, oblivious to the turmoil going on around her.

‘I will,’ Bella said, her face a mask of worry. ‘And we’ll be waiting for you when you get back.’

When Ben walked into the hospital with Emma almost three hours later, he knew instantly that they were too late. Jo’s face was ashen and her eyes were sunken with shock. She gave a small shake of her head and reached out her arms towards them.

Ben’s hand flew to his mouth and he thought he might be sick. Emma fell into her mother’s arms with a shriek of ‘No!’ before dissolving into tears. Jo clung to Emma, stroking her silky blonde hair and soothing her like a child.

Ben slumped onto a chair and put his head between his knees as his vision blurred. It wasn’t possible. Surely his tall, strong, handsome father hadn’t died? ‘There must be some mistake,’ he told himself firmly, shaking away the dizziness.

Jo sat down beside him and put her arm around him. After a few minutes, he sat up slowly. He looked at her and took a deep breath. ‘There must be some mistake,’ he repeated. He felt as though he was underwater with everything blurred and muffled.

Jo opened her mouth to speak but he could see that she was too shocked to make any coherent sounds. Instead, she just shook her head helplessly. She suddenly looked so small and vulnerable.

In front of them, Emma was slumped against a wall, crying piteously. ‘Emma,’ Ben said, almost surprised at how normal his voice sounded.

Emma shook her head and put her hand up, warning him off.