I don’t bother knocking. Celia is at the door in seconds, wiping her wet hands on a green and white checked apron that’s tied over her jeans and grey wool jumper. ‘Hello, love, this is a nice surprise. Haven’t seen you for a few days.’

‘Hi, Celia.’ I step into the hallway with its familiar smell of freesias and Pledge furniture polish. ‘Sorry I’ve been AWOL; things have been crazy recently.’

‘You staying for a coffee?’

‘I’d love one.’

‘Come through.’

I follow Celia into the kitchen, catching wafts of her perfume, White Linen by Estee Lauder, as she walks, her neat grey-brown waves bobbing. Passing all the framed family photos on the wall, I catch sight of a familiar one taken on our wedding day. Toby and I are both smiling at the camera as though it’s the happiest day of our lives. So why does my stomach clench at the memory?

I quickly shift my gaze to one of Toby and Nick as teenagers pulling goofy faces, envying them their closeness. How did Dina and I grow so far apart? Sometimes I wish I could go back in time to see whether I could have done things any differently. To work harder at our relationship. I only have one sister, but I may as well be an only child for all the contact we have now. If she really has come back, maybe it’s not too late to rectify things. Although, once again, it will be me doing all the running because I doubt very much that Dina’s come back to make up.

‘You coming?’ Celia calls from the kitchen.

I gladly move away from the wall of photographs.

Celia’s kitchen is homely but smart, with oak cabinets and white granite worktops. More framed photos of the family adorn the wall next to the fridge, but I don’t let my gaze settle on them. Instead, I sit down at the round oak table while my mother-in-law potters about the kitchen making us both a drink.

‘Are you okay?’ she asks, her back to me as she spoons coffee into the machine. ‘You look a bit frazzled, if you don’t mind my saying.’

‘I am frazzled. I just drove into the back of someone.’

‘What?!’ Celia turns around and marches over to sit next to me. ‘Why didn’t you say anything? Are you hurt at all? Whiplash?’

‘No, I’m fine. I think I’m just in shock.’

‘I’m sure you are!’

‘Not because of the crash though.’

‘What do you mean? What’s happened?’

‘I think I just saw my sister.’ Saying the words out loud to Celia brings up all the turbulence of her disappearance. I bite my lip to contain my emotions.

‘Your sister?’

I nod.

‘But… she’s been missing for years.’