The warmth, the promise of food, even the cat that had not yet discovered her presence – none of these demanded anything of her.

Seeing Sean again did.

Her stomach turned over and she was briefly in that place of darkness once more, the walls closing in on her so swiftly that she turned towards the door again, prepared for flight. Then Tom appeared, like a guardian angel, racing towards her, wrapping himself around and between her legs, mewing loudly.

Whether it was that sound that brought Sean into the hall, she didn’t know, but his face when he looked at her changed everything. She thought she was dreading seeing him again, yet his appearance had the opposite effect.

‘Rhona, you’re home. Good.’

He came towards her and in a moment she was wrapped in his welcoming arms.

‘I hope you’re hungry,’ he said as he led her into the kitchen.

Rhona halted briefly at the door, waiting on recall to change her favourite room in the flat into her worst memory. Then she realized it had been transformed.

‘You’ve painted it,’ she said in amazement.

‘You were talking about it, remember? Even chose a few possible colours. I just had to make a decision as to which one. Is it okay?’ he said, his voice a little anxious.

‘It’s beautiful,’ she said honestly. ‘And the fridge. That’s new and very stylish.’

‘The other one conked out. This one sort of matches the new look,’ he said, a question in his voice.

My fridge didn’t die, she thought. Sean knew what I would think about every time I opened its door.

‘Thank you,’ she said.

He ushered her to the table. ‘It’s boeuf bourguignon. Red or white wine?’

‘I think it’s time I tried to acquire a taste for red,’ Rhona said with a smile.

Eventually they talked properly, after the food, the wine and the coffee. During the meal, Sean had posed no questions about Skye or how she was. It was one of the things she liked about him, she remembered. He didn’t try to be a part of her life, until asked.

Rhona did question him briefly about the jazz club, and told him some funny stories about Chrissy, and of course her romance with Blaze’s owner.

‘Do you think it’ll last?’ Sean had said.

‘Who knows with Chrissy? And Skye’s not exactly nearby. But she seems keen. She’s been talking about taking wee Michael out for a holiday. And the dogs are a big draw.’

‘Dogs? I thought there was just one. The famous Blaze, dog detective.’

‘He has a younger brother now. Laoch, a rescue puppy. One blue eye and one brown.’ Rhona showed Sean a photo on her mobile. ‘From first impressions, Donald thinks he might be a little harder to train than Blaze.’