They sit in silence for a while. Chloe watches the gentle rise and fall of her chest, her bones suddenly so thin, so delicate, reminding her of how easily a fall could break one. As a child, wouldn’t Nan have been the one to pick her up after a fall? She’s reminded in an instant how quickly roles are reversed.

Someone has put a few white flowers from the garden in a short blue vase beside her bed.

‘These are pretty,’ she says.

Nan turns her head slowly. ‘Yes, snowdrops, my favourite.’

They sit there, the two of them, holding hands. Nan closes her eyes, but she’s not sleeping. After a while, she opens them again.

‘What time is it?’ she whispers.

‘Just after four.’

‘In the morning?’

‘No, Nan. Afternoon.’

‘You didn’t have to leave work to come here, did you?’

‘Nan, it’s OK. Don’t go worrying about something like that. My boss wanted me to make sure you’re OK.’

‘Did he? That’s nice. It’s all my fault, I shouldn’t have gone down to the garden, but it was raining and I thought I’d left my washing out and—’

‘Shh, Nan,’ she whispers. ‘Just rest, it doesn’t matter.’

‘But I’ve made ever such a lot of trouble for everyone.’

‘Don’t be silly, you haven’t made any trouble at all. We just want you to get better.’ Chloe gives her hand a tiny squeeze. The bones inside feel as if they might break within her grasp. The bruise up close is a rainbow of colours. How could something like this have happened here? Didn’t they tell Chloe that she would be safe? They’d promised her Park House would take better care of her than she had. But there hadn’t been any broken bones – no falls – on her watch. She curses Claire Sanders, she curses the nurses here. She feels bad now – sitting here, holding Nan’s hand – when she thinks of standing in Maureen and Patrick’s house. She feels deceitful, wrong. As if she’s betrayed Nan. She doesn’t deserve this. Nan needs her here, that much is obvious.

‘I’m here, Nan,’ Chloe whispers. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’

Nan turns her head the other way and dozes on her pillow. Chloe creeps out when she knows Nan is finally asleep, closing the door behind her. Outside in the corridor, she heads towards the matron’s office. She’s in there sorting through paperwork. Chloe makes an attempt to knock on the door.

‘Do you have a minute, Miriam?’

The woman behind the desk looks up, her face instantly set with a professional expression.

‘Of course, Chloe, come in.’

She gestures for her to take a seat.

‘How’s your grandmother doing this afternoon? I haven’t had chance to catch up with Marina yet.’