‘Yes. Mum sent another long email and Hannah and Owen are busy, but fine. They all send their love. I rang your mum, but it was only a quick chat as they were just heading out to a supper party. Honestly, when I get back I’m going to feel like I haven’t missed a thing.’

Aiden leans closer to the screen, trying to blot out the escalating noise coming from behind him and having to raise his voice. ‘Well, for me it’s going to feel like a dream from which I’m just waking up, I suspect. I can’t imagine getting ready for work again and our big adventure will be a dim and distant memory from the past. But it’s helping me to put life in general into perspective and that’s a good thing for us, Fern.’

Is he saying that just to reassure me? His direct contact with everyone is patchy and it has been noticed. I keep making excuses for him, which I hope are real. ‘He’s out of signal,’ I say, or ‘His workload is demanding and he can’t simply walk away when people are suffering and your efforts make a difference.’ Which is true.

But Aiden sounds nostalgic today and I wonder if he’s a little homesick for our old, familiar life together. I’m hoping it’s a good sign that he’s already starting to think about picking life back up again after our adventure. I know how much I miss just being in each other’s company, aside from the physical aspect. Simply to have Aiden’s arms around me, to feel his body pressed up against mine and the softness of his kiss, is a tense longing I can’t shake.

And I hate all the goodbyes. When we disconnect, my heart sinks for a moment. It’s always the same, whether it’s with Aiden, my parents, Owen or Hannah. I want to hang on for one more second, the old me kicking in and that awful ‘will I really see them again?’ feeling comes back to haunt me. But I’m able to look at life a little differently now too. I’ve discovered that learning about other people’s lives helps to put your own into perspective.

It’s important to appreciate the gift of good health and understand that happiness is a state of being. Learning what lifts your spirits, rather than focusing on what you can attain, or measuring yourself by other people’s standards, is key.