‘A steering wheel knob,’ Amber explains. ‘I can bash it with my useless hand and it turns the car on. It can do other stuff too like turn my indicators on and get the windscreen wipers going.’

‘Good when snowpocalypse comes.’

‘It’s not coming,’ Amber says resolutely. ‘I checked the proper forecast, not the trashy tabloid one. We’ll be fine.’

Lumin shrugs. ‘I don’t care if it does anyway, being stuck in snow is better than being back in that hospital.’

‘Was it really that bad?’

Lumin arches an eyebrow at Amber then sighs. ‘It’s not the actual place, you know. It was the idea of it. I love being here with you,’ she adds with a smile, making Amber’s heart soar. Amber realises with certainty then that she is doing the right thing.

‘So,’ Lumin says, reaching into her bag and pulling out the different sweets Amber brought for the journey, ‘Fizz Balls or toffees?’

‘Let’s start with the Fizz Balls.’

‘That’s what I was thinking.’ She opens the pack and offers one to Amber. Amber gestures to her good hand, which is busy with the steering wheel.

‘Oops, sorry,’ Lumin says. ‘Here, I’ll be your sweet feeder.’ She gets a sweet out and pops it Amber’s mouth as they laugh.

‘Mmmmm,’ Amber says as she swirls the Fizz Ball around her tongue. ‘Reminds me of my childhood.’

‘What was your childhood like?’ Lumin asks, wrapping her cardigan around herself.

‘Good. Apart from …’ Amber gestures to her damaged hand. ‘Other than that, I had a great childhood. My parents split up when I was a kid, but my mum made sure it didn’t affect me much.’

‘Do you still see your dad?’

Amber shakes her head vehemently. ‘He walked out when I was three months old. Mum never forgave him. And he’s never bothered to get in touch. No birthday or Christmas cards. Nothing. I don’t even know where he’s living.’

‘That sucks.’ Lumin goes quiet.

‘Yeah, I don’t get it,’ Amber continues. ‘When I had Katy—’ She pauses suddenly, the name having passed her lips before she could stop herself.

‘Katy?’

‘I had a daughter. She died.’

‘Oh God, I’m so sorry.’

‘It’s fine. It’s been ten years.’

‘What happened?’

‘Meningitis.’ Amber squeezes the steering wheel with her hand. ‘I don’t really fancy talking about it today.’

‘Fair enough.’ Lumin shoots Amber a concerned look then chews thoughtfully on her sweets. ‘I wonder if my parents even know I’m missing right now?’ She frowns slightly. ‘It’s strange no one’s come forward. Do you think they’re like your father, they just don’t know how to love?’