‘Can’t a man sleep in peace?’ he grumbled, his voice weak.

‘The door was open. I was worried.’

‘What rot. I’m perfectly fine.’ He tried to sit up.

Nicole leaned her weight in to help lift him.

‘Don’t need your help.’ He coughed.

‘Clearly,’ she said. ‘I’m going to go get the doctor. I’ll be right back.’

She turned to leave, but Charlie grabbed her arm.

‘No. Just fix me a cuppa.’

‘Charlie, you need more than —’

‘Fix me a cuppa, or leave me the hell alone.’

He pointed to his small sink and the rusting kettle.

Nicole didn’t want to leave him alone, so she boiled the water. Charlie took his cup with shaking hands and Nicole pulled the only chair in the room up to his bed.

‘What’s going on?’

‘I’m old, is all.’ Charlie barked and started coughing again.

‘I really think you should see someone.’ Nicole frowned.

‘Why? So they can take me away and shut me up in some sterile room with a bunch of sick strangers who’ll infect me?’

‘Charlie, I’m your friend. The closest thing to one you’ve got, anyway, as far as I can tell. Let me help you.’

‘If you are my friend, then you’ll do as I bloody well ask.’

Nicole looked into his eyes. There was no fear, though there was weariness.

‘Stop fussing,’ Charlie grumbled. ‘I thought I could rely on you not to get soppy.’

She smiled weakly.

‘Besides,’ Charlie said. ‘If you knew who I really was, you wouldn’t be wasting your energy.’

‘I may not know who you were, but I reckon I know who you are.’

‘Humph.’

Charlie pointed to the floor and Nicole saw the Scrabble box.

‘Now that wouldn’t be fair, taking advantage of you like this.’ She forced a smile.

‘You wish.’

Charlie tried to stand up and Nicole reached out her arms to help.

He pushed her away.

‘Okay, okay.’ She backed off. Slightly. ‘Just trying to help.’

‘Just answering the call of nature.’ He steadied himself on his feet. ‘Been managing that on my own for more than seventy years. Don’t need no help now.’

Watching him closely, Nicole hovered not too far from the bathroom door, trying to look like she wasn’t waiting for him.

‘So?’ He crawled back into bed. ‘Are you going to set this thing up, or not?’

He pushed the board towards her.

Nicole stayed with Charlie all afternoon and into the night as he drifted in and out of sleep after their game. Through the portal window the morning sun began to rise and Nicole shifted in the armchair, her shoulders stiff.

‘Haven’t you got somewhere else to be?’ Charlie’s voice, heavy, broke the silence.

‘Not today.’

‘Other people to annoy?’ He sat up with considerable effort.

She shook her head. ‘Nope. Just you.’

‘You didn’t stay all bloody night, did you?’