She picked up immediately. ‘Hello?’

‘Charlie, it’s me. Ben,’ he managed before he burst out into a torrent of sobbing.

‘Ben!’ she cried. ‘What on earth has happened? What’s wrong?’

Ben tried to speak but found the words just wouldn’t form.

‘Take your time,’ she soothed. ‘It’s OK. Just take a few deep breaths and try and tell me what’s happened.’

Ben followed her instructions. Eventually, he found his voice. ‘Charlie, it’s Dad …’

There was a beat of silence. ‘Oh my God …’ she whispered. ‘What about him?’

‘He’s dead, Charlie. He died.’ Ben could hear the disbelief in his own voice.

‘No! Oh my God, that’s not possible.’ Charlotte paused to compose herself. ‘Oh darling, I am so very sorry. What can I do? Where are you? Do you want me to come to you?’

Ben closed his eyes. Yes, he wanted to say, I do want you to come. But then he remembered that they weren’t together anymore. It wouldn’t be right for her to come. ‘No,’ he managed. ‘I just needed to talk to someone. To tell someone.’

‘Of course you did.’ Charlotte’s tone was gentle and reassuring, despite the tremor of shock.

‘I’ve sent Mum and Emma home. I said I’d take care of the practicalities but the trouble is, I don’t know what to do. I thought you might know … after your dad.’

There was a short pause before she replied. ‘I can’t really remember, to be honest, Ben. It’s all a bit of a blur. Why don’t you call Matt and Freya? Freya will know what to do.’

Fresh tears sprang into Ben’s eyes. ‘I’m not sure they’ll want to hear from me.’

‘Of course they will! You’re Matt’s best friend. Why wouldn’t they want to hear from you?’

Ben sighed and shook his head, too ashamed to tell her how and why they had parted on such bad terms the last time he saw them. ‘Oh, it’s a long story. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have called you. It’s not fair.’

‘Don’t be silly.’ Charlotte’s tone was brusque. ‘Look, would you like me to call them for you?’

‘Would you?’ Ben felt a surge of gratitude for Charlotte’s practical, no-nonsense attitude.

‘Of course. Which hospital are you at?’

‘Ipswich.’ A very small part of him hoped that she would just get in the car and come, even though he had told her not to. He was suddenly so desperate to see her and if she turned up without him asking, well, Bella couldn’t blame him for that, could she?

‘OK. Sit tight. I’ll call you back shortly. Or they will.’

‘Thanks, Charlie.’

‘And Ben?’ Charlotte cut in before he could hang up.

‘Yes?’

‘I am so very sorry. He was a wonderful man. I know how much you loved him. We all did.’

Ben nodded, too choked to reply. He managed a sort of half-grunt, before hanging up. Yes, they had all loved his father. Except Bella, said a little voice inside his head. Bella, who had caused his father so much stress over the last few months of his life. It was ever since he first brought Bella home that his father’s health had begun to deteriorate. And he knew Bella would have been happy for Ben never to see him again.