‘Well.’ He had to push each word through his teeth to prevent himself raising his voice. ‘The big news, Dylan, which you need to grasp – right here, right now and forever more – is that our brains in fact belong to us and that we are each therefore solely responsible for how we deploy them. We can, indeed, unfreeze them. If we have the willpower – and the guts – to do so. Which is why, once today is over, you are going to devote yourself to the task of preparing to re-sit every single exam. You will not go to parties. You will not throw your money and health away on drugs or alcohol. You will not work in a pub or anywhere else. Because the other big news is that you are in possession of a fantastic brain, if you would only use it. It costs nothing, you know. At least, not if you have the added blessing, which you do, of supportive parents…’ Lucas stopped, willing Dylan to recognise the magnitude of this, but he had gone rigid again, his gaze still blank and glued to the wall. ‘Because your mother is properly on board about working harder,’ he concluded fiercely, frustration engulfing him again, ‘make no mistake about that.’

Lucas was aware of a tremble in his knees as he strode towards the door. The sight of Dylan, so pathetic, surrounded by his shambolic life, was worse than anything. ‘I’ll find a suit – or smart trousers – for you.’ He spoke gruffly.

‘Like you’re such a fucking saint.’

‘I beg your pardon?’ Lucas turned slowly. Dylan was studying his hands, head hanging, like one readying for the guillotine.

‘Nothing.’

‘No, please. Repeat what you said.’

‘Cheating on Mum,’ he growled, swinging his head up to confront his father’s stony expression, ‘then dumping her so you could get with… Heidi.’ His voice was thick with disgust.

Lucas’s heart was banging inside his chest. ‘That was not… not… what took place.’ Dylan and Lily knew the gist of what had gone on, what he had done – Esther had made sure of that – but not the root cause. Lucas faltered. This was his son. He could not tell Dylan, of all people, what it had felt like to lose your wife to your children; how, with the arrival of mothering, Esther had seemed to cease thinking of him, or caring for him, or wanting him as she once had. ‘Heidi had nothing to do with Mum and me,’ he said stiffly, experiencing a small lift just from uttering his girlfriend’s name. ‘We only met last year.’

‘Yeah, right.’ Dylan pulled his mouth into an ugly line.