‘They do, but I will miss Papai.’

‘Of course you will. I used to hate it when my father went away. And he did, a lot.’

‘But you had lots of sisters to keep you company. I don’t have anyone.’ With a sigh of resignation, Valentina stood up and I closed her suitcase and zipped it up.

She watched me as I pulled the suitcase from the bed, tugged out the handle and wheeled it towards the door. ‘There, I think you’re all ready to go.’

‘Will I see you when I get back home, Maia?’ she asked me plaintively. ‘You’re much nicer than Petra; she just spends all her time on the phone talking to her boyfriend.’

‘I hope so, querida, I really do. Now,’ I said as I kissed her, ‘you go off and have a wonderful time.’

‘I will try.’ Valentina took hold of the handle of the case and moved to open the door. ‘Papai really likes you, you know.’

‘Does he?’ I smiled at her.

‘Yes, he told me so himself. Bye bye, Maia.’

I watched her leave the bedroom, and thought how her demeanour resembled that of a modern-day refugee. Not wanting to intrude on the goodbye between father and daughter, or embarrass Floriano in front of his dead wife’s parents, I sat on the bed with my hands in my lap. I thought yet again how difficult it was for the two of them and how much I admired Floriano for juggling his life between his daughter and his work. I also experienced more than a tinge of pleasure at the fact that Valentina had told me her father liked me. And I admitted to myself how much I liked him too.

A few minutes later, Floriano knocked on the door and poked his head around it.

‘It’s okay, you can come out now. I thought you’d accompany Valentina and meet Giovane and Lívia, but you didn’t appear. Anyway,’ he continued, taking my hand and pulling me from the bed, ‘as I said to you over breakfast, I think it’s time you had some fun. Can you remember what that is?’

‘Of course I can!’ I said defensively.

‘Good. Then on the way to where I’m taking you, you can tell me the last fun thing you did.’

‘Floriano, please don’t patronise me!’ I said crossly as I followed him out of the bedroom. He stopped abruptly in the corridor and turned so I almost bumped into him.

‘Maia, please, lighten up, I’m teasing you. Even I, with a propensity for navel-gazing, know that I mustn’t take myself too seriously. You’ve been alone too long, it’s as simple as that. At least I have my daughter to constantly pull me up and out of myself,’ he explained. ‘And just for today, I want you to cast off your woes and live. Okay?’

I hung my head, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. I realised it was a very long time since I’d last let another human being in close enough to lecture me on my failings.