And I do let her. I close my eyes. I hear the glug and slap of the oil in her hands as she rubs them together, before gently picking up my hand and lightly massaging my skin, the base of my palm, between my fingers, up over my wrist, along my arm, following the macabre patterns of the acid scars. It feels so wonderful, her touch on my neglected skin, the slippery smoothness of the oil, the warmth of her hands, the love she is giving me. I feel myself relax as those pliant fingers seem to place me in my body again. She doesn’t miss a single scar, from my fingers to my toes, via my arms, my neck, my chest, my breast, my stomach, my groin, my thigh, my knee, my foot; each damaged place she gives her full attention. She is giving me my body back; I am reclaiming this flesh.

When she has finished, I cannot move. I lie there in a blissful state breathing in the lavender aroma of the room. When I open my eyes she is still there waiting for me, watching me. She smiles.

‘I brought you something,’ she says, and she passes me a white envelope on which she’s written For Connie. I try to sit up; I reach out with my rejuvenated hand and slowly take the envelope from her. I study the familiar handwriting. I love her handwriting; it is practical, masculine. I carefully open the envelope and pull out several photographs.

She helps me. The first one is a shot of Josh and Evie. It takes my breath away. They look so bright and young, so happy, so in love; Evie is leaning against Josh’s chest, he has his arm around her. I run my finger over his changing face – his nose is bigger, his jaw more pronounced.

I look at it for so long that Ness says, ‘There are more.’ And she helps me go to the next one. It’s Annie, smiling at the camera. Her two front teeth have fallen out and she has a huge gap that she is clearly proud of. I am overwhelmed; my eyes begin to sting. The next photo is of Polly and Annie, all skinny and knobbly-kneed doing hula hoops in the garden. I feel my body begin to fill up, a tidal wave of emotion spreading through me. I look up at Ness.

‘They’re fine,’ she says.

I nod.

‘Everyone’s fine,’ she says. ‘We’re going to get you out of here, Con.’