‘Imagine all the places they’re going, those people flying around the sky.’

With the mid-morning sun on her face, staring up at the clouds, Lou looked like something Michelangelo might have carved and forgotten. Suddenly, and very unexpectedly, I didn’t want to talk about other people flying around the sky, or think about other people’s problems.

‘Hey, Lou . . .’ I leaned across and touched her arm. She twitched slightly.

‘What?’

‘Sorry. Listen, can you . . . I mean probably not, but do you remember that time I lost you? You were about four and I was supposed to be looking after you while Mum—’ I stopped, recalling that hadn’t been the first time I’d been in charge of my sister while my mother had a little lie-down in the middle of the day smelling like Miss Dior and something else. I shook my head and tried again.

‘Joe Fletcher and I had a big fight in the middle of the street, and he threw my cricket ball into the drain. Do you remember?’ Lou frowned, clearly not remembering. ‘By the time I gave up trying to get the ball out, you’d disappeared. Run off down the street. Any of this coming back to you?’

‘I don’t think so, no. Sorry. How come?’

I hesitated, because if she had no memory of it, was there any point even bringing it up? I could dodge it, bury it back where I’d been keeping it, forget it ever happened. But then I thought, maybe that was exactly the point.

‘Well, the thing is, I was so furious at Joe and so pissed off at losing that ball, I kind of . . . no, I definitely told you to get lost. And you did. I lost you. I was so shit-scared when I realised, and all the time I was running around like a mad thing trying to find you I was thinking, what if something’s happened, what if someone’s taken her, what if she’s been run over?’

I glanced over at Lou, but she looked like she was still trying very hard to recall the incident, so with any luck she hadn’t noticed my ill-chosen words.

‘Anyway, when I eventually found you, I was so relieved I made a promise to myself that I’d never let that happen again. That I’d be a better brother and I’d always make sure I looked after you and kept you safe.’

I took a deep breath. Here it comes, the perfect in, the segue of all segues. But I did, Lou. I did lose you again and I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for what I said to you that day, I’m sorry for not being a better brother, a better man. For not calling you the week, the month, the year, a kid’s whole lifetime after. I’m sorry it took a stupid picture in the paper to get you back. I’m just so, so sorry about it all.

Yeah, that sounded pretty good. Go for it, Mulberry.