‘No, no. She was clearly happy. I can’t remember seeing her in such form. Wonderful, truly. Keep it up, I say.’

‘The nanobots will stay inside her, under my direction. This is what makes them so effective, we think. I communicate with them, and tell them what to do. We’ll see any signs of illness or anything going wrong before it can affect her, and we can sort it out.’

I definitely want some nanobots, plus, ideally, a Winifred all of my own. Better not mention it to Charlotte.

‘I’ll help you get to your car,’ says Winifred. ‘The journalists will want to question you. Of course you can talk to them, but if possible, please don’t discuss the nanobots. It’s an exciting development, and Eldercare will be making an announcement soon. And don’t tell them your name. They keep trying to get in here and I don’t think we want them bothering your mum, do we?’

‘Oh no, she’d hate it,’ I say. ‘We’ll keep mum.’

She looks puzzled for a moment, and then she smiles.

‘Oh yes – I see! Very funny,’ she says, and laughs.

*

In the car going home, the children are quiet. They have a lot to think about. Eventually they both fall asleep.

‘Well?’ I say to Charlotte.

‘That’s what you said earlier. Well?’

‘What do you think?’

‘I think it’s extraordinary,’ she replies.

‘Extraordinary good or extraordinary bad?’

‘Good, I suppose. I mean, your mum!’

‘I know – she’s much better. It’s ridiculous. I’ve been expecting her to die.’

‘Me too. She was basically fucked.’

‘It’s my mum we’re talking about.’

‘Yes, but you said it yourself. Since your dad died. And that home. She was going down.’

‘Blind too.’

‘I had loads of questions,’ she says. ‘But I felt inhibited.’

‘Yes, me too. Not the kids though.’

‘I know. And it was like they were on the same wavelength as your mum. And that other old lady.’

‘The one who went to heaven?’

‘Yes, her.’

I glance across and then return my eyes to the road.

‘Heaven sounds all right,’ I say.

‘Don’t get religious on me.’

‘I wasn’t. She didn’t mention God or angels or any of that.’

‘Do you think it’s OK?’ she asks. ‘Not heaven. The robots, big and small. I know you agreed to it…’

There’s a long pause. I’m thinking.

‘I don’t know. Yes. It is, isn’t it? I mean, she’s doing well. Not well. Incredibly. This is a revolution in care for the elderly.’

‘You sound like an ad.’

‘It’s true though. I’d like to know more, but I can’t argue with what I’m seeing. Can you?’

‘No.’

‘Whatever they’re doing, it’s working. I guess go with it, right? I mean, she was as you rightly said, fucked. And now, she’s unfucked.’