“He’ll be fine. I’ve warned him you’ve got friends coming round for dinner. He doesn’t mind.”

“We’ve got friends coming round for dinner. They’re your friends too. And I should bloody well hope he doesn’t mind! Phoning up out of the blue, insisting on visiting.”

“He’s my brother. He can come whenever he – look, the train’s here.”

People spilled out onto the concourse. Some strode confidently towards the street or the tube. Others stopped and looked around helplessly, creating little pockets of annoyance as the people behind them sighed and tutted and wheeled their suitcases around the obstruction. As the horde thinned to a straggle of the slow, the dreamy and the train-crew, Ava waved frantically. Finn waved back and broke into a run.

“You’ve got tall shoes on,” said Finn, hugging Ava tightly. “How tall this time?” Ava held out her leg. “Blimey. How do you walk in those?”

“They’re platforms. That makes it easier. Finn, you look so well!”

“I’m too old for heroin chic.”

Ava shook her head. “You’re not old.”

“Yes, I am.”

“So what does that make me?”

“You’re grown up. That’s different. Hello, Paul. How are you?”

Paul shook Finn’s hand without enthusiasm and reached for his backpack.

“No, I’ll carry it.” Finn hoisted it back onto his shoulders.

“If you prefer.” Paul strode off across the concourse.

“It’s best if I carry it because I’ve got several Vietnamese centipedes in here and they’re not much fun when they’re angry.”

“Oh, Finn, you haven’t.” Ava stopped dead.

“No, you’re right, I haven’t. He was a cool pet, though.”

“He was not a cool pet, he was like the polar opposite of a pet. Hey, Paul, do you remember Bob the centipede?”

“Was that the horrible thing that lived in a tank and ate crickets and nearly got out once and gave you nightmares?” Paul shuddered.

“That’s the one,” said Finn. “I was thinking I might get a new one.”

“Fair enough, but you’re not leaving it with us for the holidays again. Ava, you won’t let him, will you?”

“I’m not really getting a new centipede,” Finn whispered in her ear. “I just like seeing the look on his face when he remembers the last one. Are you all right? You look different.”

“I’m fine.” Ava gave him her brightest smile. “It’s so good to see you.”

“I know it’s been ages but I’ve been busy. I’ll tell you all about it later. Are we allowed to stay up and drink the house dry and watch terrible horror movies?”

“We’ve got some people coming for dinner remember, but once they’ve gone we can.”

“Maybe they’ll want to watch horror movies too.”

“Unfortunately I don’t think so.”

“Really? Boo.” Finn sped up to catch Paul. “Paul, what’s this I hear about you having people round for dinner who don’t like horror movies?”

Paul looked despairingly at Ava.

“We’ve got to behave until they’ve gone,” Ava explained.

“Otherwise Paul will lose a crucial business deal and go bankrupt?”