‘Not that I know of. Did you notice if anyone came to my flat while I was out?’

‘How would I know? I was fast asleep. Come in and make me a cuppa.’

I did as I was told. The milk was on the turn and formed a greasy film on top of the tea. Grace didn’t seem to notice.

‘Are you okay, Grace?’ I asked.

‘As well as can be expected. Why do you ask?’ she replied.

I decided to grasp the bullet and admit to Grace that I had seen her strange little vigil in the play area the other night. I knew she wasn’t feeling okay and I felt it my duty to offer a friendly shoulder if it was needed.

‘It’s just that a couple of nights ago I couldn’t sleep, and when I went outside for some fresh air I saw you on the play area and it looked like you were crying.’

‘Well, that’s none of your business and I’ll thank you not to spy on me in future.’

‘I wasn’t spying on you, Grace. Come on, tell me what’s going on with you.’

Grace looked me dead in the eyes then slowly rose out of her chair to fetch something from one of the boxes on her shelves. She threw a photograph onto the table in front of me as she sat back down. It was of a lady with shoulder-length dark brown hair stood on the walkway outside Grace’s front door. She was wearing the green trouser suit that Grace had gifted to Emily that morning. Beside her was a young girl, around five years old, licking on an ice-cream cone. They looked happy.

‘It’s a nice photograph. Who are they?’ I asked.

‘It’s my daughter Mary and my granddaughter Lizzie.’

‘Shit, Grace, you’ve never mentioned that you had children.’

‘Child not children, and no, I have never mentioned it to you.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because it breaks my heart when I think about her.’

‘I don’t understand. Has she passed away or something?’

‘No. She hates me, and I haven’t seen either of them for the past three years.’

I could see that she was close to tears. She slowly got out of her chair again and turned her face away from me to stare out of the window and beyond the trees towards the high street.