‘WHAT ARE YOU DOING?’ ASKS TOM, AS I GET OUT OF BED and start to dress hastily. ‘I thought we could have a lie-in.’ He raises his eyebrows suggestively. ‘What with Lorna out for a bit.’

‘I’m sorry, I want to go and see Gran. I just feel I need to see her. To spend time with her.’

‘We’re meeting up with Theo and his wife later, remember. Will you be back in time?’

‘Yes.’ I throw on a T-shirt I haven’t worn for about two years, some jogging bottoms, and scrunch my hair into a messy bun.

Tom sits up. He’s bare-chested and I feel a flicker of desire but just as quickly it’s gone. My mind is too full of other things. ‘I’ll come with you. I haven’t seen your gran for ages and –’

‘No,’ I bark, then realize I sound a bit harsh. ‘No,’ I say, more softly, ‘it’s okay. I think Gran might talk more if it’s just me.’

He stares at me, concern etched on his face. ‘I’m worried about you, Saff. This is all a lot to take in and now you’re going to hare off to Bristol.’

‘I won’t be long.’ I sit on the edge of the bed pushing my feet into trainer socks. ‘I want to ask Gran about Victor. Now that I know more. And it might be easier without . . .’

‘Without your mum there?’

I nod guiltily.

He takes my hand. ‘Is everything okay between the two of you? I noticed some tension yesterday when I got back. I know you’d just had an intense meet-up with Theo and found out about Victor but . . . there was something else, like something brewing between you.’

‘We had a bit of an argument. I said some things I shouldn’t have said.’

‘Oh, Saff.’

‘I know. It’s not my proudest moment. Mum tries her best. And I do love her, but . . .’

‘Hey,’ he holds up his hands, ‘you don’t have to explain it to me. I know it’s complicated between the two of you.’

‘My gran was just so much less complicated, you know? Or,’ I laugh ironically, ‘so I thought.’

He pulls me towards him and kisses me. ‘Drive carefully,’ he says. ‘And don’t be too long or your mum might have reorganized the whole house!’