Louisa nodded. ‘We’ll try and put this behind us, then. I also have something I need to … confront. Something from years ago.’ Louisa noticed the slight tremor in her hands as she held her mug. She wasn’t sure how much to say, now, to Brian. But if she wanted to carry out her plan, then he’d need to be in on it, to some extent. ‘You know about the dissociative amnesia – the episodes where I’ve no memory of events in my teens?’

‘Yes, sort of. You didn’t really ever explain fully – you never wanted to talk about it so I didn’t push you.’

‘Well, stuff has been coming back to me. It’s patchy, but I know it’s important. The memories that are trying to reveal themselves – they are key to something. I need to capture them.’

‘Okay, But how?’

‘The only way I can think is by self-hypnosis. I’ve been looking online and have found some guidance and I think I can do it. But I need quiet. Space to myself.’ Louisa looked questioningly at Brian. He gave a gentle nod.

‘I’ll phone in sick.’

‘Oh, I wasn’t meaning right now, necessarily.’

‘I’d suggested I take a few days off to be with you anyway, hadn’t I, so now is as good a time as any. I haven’t pulled a sickie in, like, ten years. I’m pretty sure no one is going to bat an eyelid.’

‘If you’re sure, that would be really helpful. Now seems the right time to do this.’

‘Absolutely.’ He sat up straighter, as if he’d been given orders and was ready to execute them; glad of a distraction. ‘I’ll take Noah out for the day. I think I’ll take him to your parents’, actually. It’s about time they got involved in their grandson’s life, don’t you agree?’

Louisa hesitated for a moment. ‘Yep, okay,’ she said. It would suit her plan to have them gone for the day, despite her not really wanting them to go crawling to her mum and dad. But, needs must. ‘That’s a great idea. Better coming from you, too. You’ve always been good with my parents.’

‘Sorted then.’ He got back up from the breakfast bar and walked to the window, his phone to his ear as he informed the prison gate he wouldn’t be in to work. Then Louisa watched in silence as he paced around the kitchen, then in and out of the lounge, collecting what Noah would need for the day. Having a purpose, something to make him feel as though he was being useful was clearly helping him to feel better about what he’d done.