At the threshold of the living room, Jess contrives the manner of a woman determined to be decisive. Strict, if necessary, to get through another night with the disturbed client in the wheelchair who inhabits this baffling, creepy place that makes no sense.

‘Hello-lo-lo, Flo!’ from Izzy, whose spirits revive and shoot vertical into elation at the sight of Flo.

Flo only turns her head at the sound of Izzy’s voice and the intensity of the elderly woman’s reaction disarms Jess. Abruptly alert, eyes shining, she beams at the little girl. There’s no mistaking the heartfelt expression of joy lighting up the sunken face that doesn’t appear to have had much to smile about in years. ‘Merry meet!’ she cries out. Following the greeting with ‘Cup of tea, Mother’ that Jess assumes is directed at her.

Izzy scampers into the room and kneels beside the wheelchair. To Jess’s continuing amazement, Flo takes the little girl’s hands and holds them on her lap.

Fascinated but excluded from this new bond that gives her tormented client so much pleasure, Jess turns her attention to the ceiling. She bites her bottom lip, places her bags on the floor and leaves the room.

Outside in the hall, she slips a hand on the banister and takes a step up, into the dark.

* * *

Jess silently returns to the lounge but maintains a distance from her client and daughter, to observe Izzy interacting with Flo and how each is smitten with the other. Their heads are closer together than before, and Flo appears to be inspecting one of Izzy’s drawings that she has laid upon Flo’s lap. Jess also catches the end of something that Izzy is sharing with the elderly woman. ‘No. Not any more. He come out of prison and had to live in another flat. He’s too angry. But not with me.’ When Izzy senses her mother’s presence, she stops talking.

Jess approaches the pair and they both appear irritated, as if she’s intruding. ‘Izz. Give Flo these.’ Jess fans three photographs in her hands. Pictures taken from Flo’s collection.

Izzy leaps up to collect them and is instantly agape at their contents. ‘Who are they?’

‘Think she’s remembering her own little girl. She thinks you’re her.’

Izzy carefully places the first photograph on Flo’s lap. Jess keenly watches her client’s face for a reaction. ‘These might help you remember, Flo. Happier times.’

Flo’s face lights up with an eagerness to see what Izzy has given her. A black-and-white picture of Flo and her two children. Here the girl is around Izzy’s age. Flo doesn’t speak. She touches the paper with one hand, takes Izzy’s fingers with the other.

Jess draws closer to the chair. Stands on the opposite side to Izzy. ‘She knows. She still knows her beautiful girl.’