They were all sitting at a table in the same café where they used to come regularly as a family, and where Kev had stayed all day when everyone thought he was at work. It had seemed like a good idea to come here together, but now Sasha was not so sure. Everyone was tense and irritable, Kev was quiet, and this place, as lovely as it was, just seemed like another reminder of what they had lost, who they had lost.

‘Denny.’ Conscious of the other customers giving them dirty looks, Sasha kept her voice low. ‘Leave your sister alone, she was recently abducted and held hostage by a dangerous maniac, and has been through a very traumatic situation.’

Angel gave her brother a superior smile. ‘The doctor says I may have post-traumatic stress disorder. And every time you act like a complete knob and kick me in the leg, it triggers me.’

‘Bull. Shit.’ Denny was annoyed at being outmanoeuvred. Sasha knew that Angel would use her ordeal to torment him for a long time to come, probably until they were both pensioners, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Sasha glanced at Kev, who was gazing at the white tips of ocean surf breaking on the strip of sand on the other side of the road.

Denny reached into his pocket. ‘What’s the Wi-Fi password here?’

‘No phones,’ she told him again. ‘We’re enjoying a family day out.’

‘Wait, all day? Nobody said anything about all day!’

‘Kev?’ Sasha said, trying to sound cheerful. ‘What do you fancy?’

He looked up in surprise at the sound of her voice and turned his attention back to the menu.

‘There’s nothing here I want,’ Angel said.

Denny shrugged. ‘I just want an ice cream.’

‘You’re not having an ice cream until you’ve eaten properly,’ insisted Sasha. Honestly, it was like he was still six years old sometimes.

Then Angel screamed – Denny had pinched her under the table – and they all jumped, making the cutlery bounce. The other customers looked annoyed.

‘There are people here trying to enjoy a nice meal, so let’s try and keep the noise down.’ Sasha leaned across the table. ‘Kev, feel free to have a word with your boisterous offspring.’

But Kev threw down the menu and jumped out of his chair and headed towards the door.

‘Where are you going? Kev!’

He disappeared out of the door.

‘Where’s Dad gone?’ asked Denny anxiously.

‘He’s gone mental again, hasn’t he?’ said Angel.