He sat back down on the end of his bed, towel around his waist. He picked up a tennis ball that was sitting on his floor and started bouncing it idly. It still didn’t add up.

His sister! Maybe Ava would be able to shed some light on it. He and Ava had always been close – they were only two years apart in age. In fact, it was through Ava that he had met Imogen – they’d both been at St James’s together. He WhatsApped her.

Hi Aves, how are you?

He put his phone down on the bed and started hunting for some clothes. His drawers were fairly barren – second-tier T-shirts and his more ancient boxer shorts. After some consideration, he pulled on a blue tee from Bristol Fresher’s Week 2009, and a set of boxers with a hole in the waistband. He remembered his jeans were still in the bathroom. He nipped down, grabbed them and climbed into them on the landing, before running up the stairs back to his bedroom.

He prodded at his phone. Ava had responded.

Hi brother!

Been up all night

Ben laughed. Ava was lots of fun. He responded.

Big one eh

She replied.

Rozina’s bday got a tiny bit out of hand

I’m at some house in Homerton now

Need to make a move soon

How are you?

He remembered the task at hand.

Had a really weird night myself

Well day actually

Will tell you more when i next see you

Is a bit of a long story

Anyway what I need to know right now is dyu remember me ever having an MSN girlfriend I spoke to loads in 2009?

Ava started typing, then stopped. Ben watched the screen. She started again.

You are really messing with my fragile mind this morning

No I do not remember much of 2009

Ben replied quickly.

Well obv neither do i

She was still typing.

But no I do not remember your MSN girlfriend you weirdo

Ben smiled.

Point taken

She was still typing.

I remember Oli being on MSN more than you tbf

Coz he’d be on the computer in the living room and I could never get on it coz he was chirpsing some girl unsuccessfully

He laughed again.

Hahaha!

Poor Ol

Thanks

Now go home and go to sleep you lunatic

Let’s get a drink soon

Ava sent a crystal ball emoji back.

Ben searched for Oli’s name in WhatsApp. He hadn’t spoken to his younger brother over text since February. Gallingly, Oliver was now doing a PhD at Oxford, after three years and a master’s at UCL.

Hey Ol!

How’s Ox?

Hope all going well

Wanted to ask you a question – can you give me a ring later?

Nothing serious just long story