‘She doesn’t really talk about it. I think it’s the guilt. But she was so busy with the gift shop then, my grandad had just died and she was having to run it with my aunt. Anyway, it’s my fault really. I shouldn’t have gone out when I was told not to.’

‘You were only four.’

‘Old enough,’ Amber says stiffly. ‘Anyway, it happened, nothing I can do about it now.’

‘How long were you in hospital?’

‘Few weeks. Mum said I coped pretty well. It’s when I started growing up it began to bother me more.’

Lumin pops another sweet in her mouth. ‘How?’

‘I was teased a bit. Kids can be cruel. It knocked my confidence. The Caulfields have always been extroverts, so my mum and aunt tell me. Never described as shy. But I turned in on myself, didn’t make many friends.’ She shrugs. ‘Oh well, that was then.’

‘And now?’

Amber looks down at her hand again. ‘It’s better now. People still stare but I guess I’ve grown used to it. It’s more the pain that bothers me, now during cold spells like this,’ she says, peering out at the frosty scenes around them. ‘Or when I’ve not rested enough. And the fact I can’t do things as quickly as I’d like.’

‘Maybe there’s some physiotherapy stuff you can do? We drove past that big physiotherapy centre earlier, looks pretty well kitted out.’

‘Maybe.’ Amber turns the volume up in her car. She doesn’t want to talk about her hand all day. ‘Oooh, I like this song.’

As the two of them bop their heads up and down to the music, the car suddenly begins to shudder. She’s experienced this before, only a few weeks ago on a cold drive to the Midlands to pick up some goods. The car had stuttered in much the same way then too … and then came to a halting stop.

‘Is it okay?’ Lumin asks as the stuttering becomes more prominent.

‘Hopefully,’ Amber says with a tight smile, trying to reassure her. But Lumin doesn’t look convinced, especially when the car begins to slow right down.

‘Bugger.’ Amber steers it to the side of the road until it comes to a complete stop. She tries to start it again, but no luck. ‘No, no, no,’ Amber says, slamming her good fist into the dashboard. ‘I do not need this to happen.’

‘Maybe it just needs to rest.’

Amber breathes in then out, trying to contain her frustration. ‘Maybe.’

They sit quietly for a few moments and Amber tries turning the engine again. But still no luck. She pulls her phone out and notices the lack of reception bars. Then she opens the door. ‘Let’s take a look at the engine.’ They get out, head to the bonnet, pull it up and stare inside.

‘Know what any of this is?’ Amber asks Lumin.