‘I told you not to come back here.’ She looked from the top of Fred’s head to the tips of his toes, disdain written on her face. ‘I won’t stay in a room with him.’ She stood up and went into the sitting room.

Maisie was appalled. ‘I’m so sorry, Fred, I just don’t know what’s got into her.’

‘It’s fine, honestly,’ Fred said, but he seemed a little shaken.

‘Just give me a minute with her.’

‘Please, Mai, just leave it.’

‘I will not.’ She followed her mother into the sitting room. ‘What are you doing, Ma?’

‘I’m watching the …’ she pointed at the TV ‘… the box thing.’

‘Why did you talk to Fred like that?’

‘Because of something bad.’

‘You’ll have to be a little more specific than that, Ma.’

‘I can’t,’ she said. ‘But something.’

‘Ah, Ma.’ Maisie sighed. ‘Please, for my sake, be nice to him.’ She left Bridie to her own muddled thoughts and returned to Fred in the kitchen, closing the double doors behind her. ‘She gets confused.’

‘I understand.’ He looked around the kitchen. Maisie watched him read all the signs on the cupboards: ‘Cups’, ‘Glasses’, ‘Plates’, ‘Pots’. Above the oven in large writing: ‘Oven, Hot and Do Not Touch!!!’ It was odd to see her kitchen through Fred’s eyes because she and the kids didn’t notice the signs any more.

‘It’s hard on you,’ he said.

‘Some days are better than others.’

She moved to the kettle, which had ‘Do Not Touch’ painted on it in Tippex. She filled it and flicked the switch.

He sat at the counter and took his mobile phone out of his inside jacket pocket, placing it in front of him.

‘Fancy.’ Maisie didn’t know anyone else with one.

‘Annoying. You can never get a minute off when you have one of these, Mai. They’ll be responsible for the end of the bleedin’ world, mark my words.’

‘Wouldn’t know what a day off was,’ she said.

He grinned. ‘Fair point.’

She set a cup of coffee in front of him and sat next to him. He took her hand and squeezed it a little before letting go.

‘The kids will be home soon. Jeremy has soccer practice and Valerie is in the local drama group.’ She was nervous.

‘It’s nice just to spend some time with you.’

She blushed. Jesus, Maisie, grow up. ‘I’ve got a stew in the oven.’ It struck her that not everyone liked stew. ‘Do you even like it?’

‘Love it.’

Maisie sighed with relief.