I waited on one of the seats in the corner, hands clasped, knees together, my head aching from crying and worry, eyes bolted to the clock as the minutes dragged on.

It was nearly an hour before I heard his voice. ‘Tamsyn?’

Max was crisp and clean in his pressed jeans and blue leather shoes, a white button-up shirt, hair brushed back. He stood out like a shining beacon amid the worry and stench of the waiting room. A paralysing relief consumed me, as if I’d scrambled, exhausted, on to a piece of wreckage in the sea, and had to lie still for a while to catch my breath. He sat and put his arm around my shoulders and I curled into him, relaxing as his warmth bled into me. He smelt of The Cliff House and I drew him in like smelling salts.

‘Has anybody given you an update on your grandfather?’ he asked gently.

I shook my head.

‘Wait here and I’ll ask.’

I reached for him to stop him going, but noticed a smear of blood on my hand, and pulled my hand back, spat on it, then hastily rubbed the mark away with my sleeve.

I sat back on my chair and watched Max talking to the woman behind the desk. She nodded. Flicked through some notes on a blue clipboard. Spoke more words. Then shook her head when he said something in reply. I tore my eyes off their conversation. I didn’t want to find out that Granfer was dead by catching her look of regret.

A few minutes later he sat back down beside me and handed me a polystyrene cup. ‘I put three sugars in it. For the shock.’

‘My grandad would like this. He loves sugar but we have to hide it from Mum because she worries about his insides rotting.’ I smiled through fresh tears.

‘He sounds like quite a character.’

There was a small commotion as two people ran into the waiting room. It was my mother and Gareth. She was agitated, tense and pale. Gareth went to the lady at the desk. She pointed over at Max and I. Mum asked her something, but she shook her head.

Mum then turned and walked over to me, arms outstretched. ‘Are you okay? God, what’s happened?’

‘He couldn’t breathe.’ My voice cracked. ‘There was… so much… blood. He’s going to die, Mum. There was so much blood.’

‘Hush, love,’ she soothed. ‘We’ll have an update soon. He’s a fighter, your Granfer.’ She wrapped her arms around me and I listened to her talking with Max and Gareth over my head.

‘Where were you?’ I asked her when they’d fallen quiet again. ‘I called for you again and again.’