‘Sorry,’ said Adrian. ‘Slip of the tongue. Look, I know this is a bit of a shock, but in all fairness, I see more of your mother than you ever do. I’m on hand twenty-four seven. She knows she can rely on me.’

‘Well, she hasn’t got much choice,’ said Judith, ‘seeing as you’ve fired her cleaner, changed the locks and put a key safe on the door! Incidentally, what’s the number for that?’

Adrian looked at Patricia questioningly. ‘That’s not up to me to divulge, I’m afraid, it’s up to Mum … I mean, your mum,’ he falteringly corrected himself.

Judith glared at him and then at Patricia.

‘Nana?’ asked Jack politely. ‘What’s the number for the key safe?’

Patricia looked confused. ‘I don’t … I don’t know it.’

‘For God’s sake!’ snapped Judith, and once again Jack touched her gently on the hand to stop her from losing it. ‘What if there’s a fire? What if someone needs to get in?’

‘All they gotta do is call me, I’ll be down here in a flash.’

‘Nana,’ Jack said softly. ‘Would you mind if Adrian gave us the number?’

‘Go on,’ said Patricia, begrudgingly. And Judith thought she detected a flash of defeat cross Adrian’s face.

‘It’s 5-9-8-2, OK?’ he said, smiling. ‘My date of birth, actually.’

‘Hah!’ said Jack, with an innocence Judith knew he was faking. ‘You’re only five years older than me!’

‘Look, you may as well know, Mum … your mum has asked me to have power of attorney—’

‘No!’ Judith exclaimed, not believing her ears.

‘… and we’re in the process of sorting it,’ Adrian continued calmly.

‘But you need certification by a doctor for this,’ said Jack. ‘To confirm that Nana’s of sound mind.’

‘Oh, don’t you worry,’ Patricia chipped in. ‘We’ve done all that, haven’t we, Adie?’

‘Yes. In fact, it was your good friend Dr Catrin who did it for us!’

‘Catrin?’ mumbled Judith. ‘Catrin did it? But why didn’t she tell me?’

‘Well, she can’t, can she? Not allowed!’ And there was a look of glee in his eyes as he said it.

‘You’re entitled to give power of attorney to whoever you choose, Nana, you know that?’ Jack intervened, reasonably. ‘I’m just not sure why you didn’t ask Mum.’

‘Why should I give it to her?’ Patricia snarled. ‘She never bothers with me. I’m lucky if she visits once a year!’

‘And can you blame me?’ shouted Judith.

‘Me and Dom have been down a few times, Nana,’ said Jack gently.

‘Yes, but this one comes here every day! Nothing’s too much trouble. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for him!’

‘Oh don’t be such a bloody drama queen!’ Judith snapped.

‘Mum …’ said Jack, and she knew he was cautioning her. She also knew he was ultimately doing it for her own good.

Judith was about to get up and leave, realizing that once again her mother had succeeded in unceremoniously pulling an emotional rug from under her, when Jack said, ‘Nana, I do understand why you’d want to give Adrian power of attorney, and if you don’t want to give it to Mum, then that’s your prerogative.’ Judith glared at him. What? He ignored her and carried on. ‘But what about if you gave it to me? I’m a lawyer, after all, and I deal with this kind of stuff day in, day out.’