The dangerous point of the story loomed. She strengthened herself by breathing steadily, staring at the table. Everything seemed to be linked in a way that she didn’t understand. Sometimes, she felt if she could only comprehend why it all happened to her, then the pain would go away. After a moment she found she could speak again.

‘I never took the bracelet off, even slept and bathed with it on. It was a solid hoop and a real struggle to get over my hand. I don’t know if it was the tanning oil I’d slathered on or the cool water, or a combination of both, but the bracelet slipped off while your father was teaching me to snorkel, on that first day.’ With her hand on her chest, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. ‘Sorry, it’s hard to say, even after twenty years.’

‘Take your time. We can leave it for now if it’s too difficult.’

‘No, I want to tell you before I go. I was floating on the surface with my face in the water, proud of myself for learning to breathe with the snorkel. It was a bit scary at first, but I guess that’s the same for everyone.’ DJ nodded. She smiled, uplifted that he understood. ‘Anyway, your father dived to the seabed and picked a little white seashell off the bottom. He held it up. I stretched my arm down to take it, but as I did, the bracelet slipped off and fell right in front of his face. He tried to grab it but missed. I couldn’t believe my precious bracelet had come off. We were snorkelling over a sunken rowboat. The water was unbelievably clear, and the boat must have recently gone down because it still had a great bundle of fishing net in it, and I could see the oars in the bottom. It’s difficult to judge, but I guess the water was only around two and a half or three metres deep there, but I hadn’t learned to dive yet. I saw where the bracelet went and begged David to get it for me. I was wearing my mask, so I could see him clearly. He was showing off, and I was laughing inside.’ She paused, felt the danger of tears pricking again. This was the first time she had recounted those events for almost twenty years and she remembered how difficult it was then. The police, the vice-consulate, her father, the social workers, they had all insisted she go over the tragedy again and again. Saying the words was like ripping open old injuries.

‘That was our last joyous moment together. Our very final spark of happiness, locked in my chest forever.’ She didn’t have to close her eyes to see him, his face turned up towards her, laughter in his eyes.