‘The worst thing is, I can’t sympathise any more. I know she can’t help it, but part of me thinks, “Come on, just try, do the steps!” There’s this treatment strategy for agoraphobics; they take small steps to face their fear, open the door, on to the street, walk one block. Baby steps every day and gradually you see progress. She did it before – there were a few years when she wasn’t so bad. Now, it’s like she doesn’t even want to try. She’s given up, and I let her.’

Minnie looked over at him. She didn’t know what to say so they sat in silence. It wasn’t an awkward silence; it was one of those companionable silences when you don’t need to speak in order to communicate.

They finished their breakfast, walked up Parliament Hill to see the view of London, and then back down towards the train station. Minnie looked sideways at Quinn as they passed the cafés and shops near Hampstead Heath train station. His mother’s health issues were clearly a lot worse than she’d imagined. How had her first impressions of Quinn been so wrong? This man who she’d assumed must’ve had such an easy life; clearly it had not been easy at all. Minnie always thought about her own upbringing with a sense of regret. She regretted not having a better relationship with her mother. She regretted that everything felt like a battle with her family – battling to get away, battling to stay, battling to be heard. Then again, maybe everyone had something to complain about when it came to family – at least her mother was able to leave the house.

As they got to the train station, Minnie turned to Quinn with a hopeful look. She didn’t want the morning to end.

‘So what are you up to now?’ she said, brushing away a chunk of tangled hair.

‘I was going to go to my office. I need to sign some paperwork,’ Quinn said. ‘I know, Fun Time Quinn, aren’t I?’ He rubbed the stubble on his chin with a palm.

‘OK,’ said Minnie, biting her lip and looking away.

‘I’m sorry about all that back there, I didn’t mean to get so heavy on you. I don’t tend to talk about her with my friends any more; I’ve bored them all to death over the years.’

‘I’m glad you did,’ she said.

Neither of them made a move to go. Quinn swayed his weight slightly from side to side.

‘There is this other thing I need to do. Maybe you could help?’

Minnie’s head sprung up to look at him. She couldn’t temper her smile. ‘Oh?’

‘I need to adopt a penguin from the zoo.’