‘I can’t cope any more,’ she said. ‘I’m sick and tired of being poor. I need a man to look after us and Torbjörn is willing to do just that.’

‘You sure of that?’

‘What?’

‘That he’s willing?’

Silje grinned.

‘I’ll make sure he’s willing, don’t you worry.’

Meja crushed the half-smoked cigarette under her shoe.

‘Is there anything to eat?’

Silje inhaled deeply and smiled as if she meant it.

‘There’s more food in this old shack than you’ve seen in your entire life.’

Lelle was woken by his mobile vibrating in his pocket. He was sitting in a sunlounger beside the lilac bushes and he could feel his body aching as he put the phone to his ear.

‘Lelle? Were you asleep?’

‘Shit, no,’ Lelle lied. ‘I’m out here working in the garden.’

‘Are there any strawberries yet?’

Lelle threw a glance at the overgrown patch.

‘No, but they’re well on their way.’

Anette’s breathing was loud on the other end, as if she were trying to compose herself. ‘I’ve put the information on the Facebook page,’ she said. ‘About the memorial service on Sunday.’

‘Memorial…?’

‘For the third anniversary. You can’t have forgotten.’

The chair creaked as he stood up. A wave of dizziness made him reach for the veranda railing.

‘Of course I haven’t bloody forgotten!’

‘Thomas and I have bought candles and Mum’s sewing group have had some T-shirts printed. We thought we’d start at the church and walk together to the bus shelter. Perhaps you can prepare something, in case you want to say a few words?’

‘I don’t need to prepare. Everything I want to say is here inside my head.’

Anette sounded weary as she replied: ‘It would be good if we could show a united front, for Lina’s sake.’

Lelle massaged his temples.

‘Are we going to hold hands, too? You, me and Thomas?’

A deep sigh reverberated against his ear drum.

‘I’ll see you Sunday. And Lelle?’

‘Yeah?’

‘You’re not out driving at night again, are you?’

He rolled his eyes up to the sky, where the sun was hiding behind the clouds.

‘See you Sunday,’ he said and rang off.