Jen seems to feel the same. ‘Look, Amber, I like your good intentions,’ she says softly. ‘But what with us not knowing Lumin’s age, we can’t just let her stay at anyone’s flat. Even,’ she quickly adds, ‘someone as wonderful as you have been with her. It’ll do her good, really. They’re the experts up there.’

Jen looks at Lumin, who doesn’t seem to be listening any more, just staring out of the window. Amber strokes Lumin’s arm. ‘You look tired.’

‘I am,’ Lumin mumbles.

‘I’ll let you sleep.’ Amber stands up and stretches. ‘I better go check on the damage my mum and aunt have done to the shop.’

‘I’ll walk out with you,’ Jen says. ‘I like your gift shop,’ she says as they walk through the ward. ‘I got my mum a lovely gift from it last year.’

‘Thanks,’ Amber says reluctantly. ‘Look, I feel really uncomfortable about Lumin being moved to that ward.’

‘Can’t you see she’s just festering here?’

Amber shakes her head. ‘Festering. What a word.’

‘You know what I mean though? Each day, she seems more tired, less vibrant. I’ve seen it in other patients. She’s losing hope.’

Amber peers back towards the cubicle. Jen is right. ‘I know how that feels.’

Jen puts her hand on Amber’s arm. ‘I know you do.’

‘Well, you’re the expert,’ Amber says stiffly, moving away.

Jen sighs, running her hand over her tired face. It makes Amber think of Jasper and those mornings after his late shifts when he’d insist on having breakfast with her even if he’d just got an hour or so of sleep the night before. These people work so hard. It wasn’t fair Amber was being so harsh with her.

‘I’m sorry I’ve been a bitch,’ she says. ‘I guess it’s just hard seeing Jasper with someone else.’

She looks at Amber, confused. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean you and Jasper.’

She laughs. ‘God, that was ages ago. I’m married now with a baby on the way,’ she says, gesturing to her small round tummy. ‘In fact, Jasper was over for dinner with me and my husband the other night!’

‘Oh. I see.’

She sighs. ‘I guess it’s my turn to apologise too. It’s not just you who’s been a bitch. I know how much Jasper loved you. It’s the reason things didn’t work out for us. Seeing how much he was hurt by you leaving him, I guess it makes me a little hostile with you.’

‘It was a difficult time for me too, you know. The hurt wasn’t just one-sided.’