‘I’ll cover her back in meetings,’ he says, kindly.

We get on the plane; British Airways, of course. I don’t know why I guessed it would be, but it’s very James. We sit back and relax whilst they come round with champagne. It’s a bit of a change from my last flight, which was a Ryanair last-minute job to Madrid with the girls.

And then, once the flight and taxi are out of the way, we arrive in Venice, and it is so – Venice-y. I mean Venetian. I mean, it’s not like one of those cities where you get there and there are two streets that look like the brochure and the rest of it’s all Holiday Inns and high-rises and dodgy-looking side roads. Literally everywhere you look it’s so beautiful that it makes my heart ache. It’s the most romantic city in the world.

Our hotel room is huge.

‘D’you like it?’

James stands behind me as I look out onto the sparkling water of the canal. I can feel his breath in my hair. He wraps his arms around my waist.

‘It’s gorgeous. More than gorgeous.’

I turn around and he kisses me gently. ‘I’m going to have a shower,’ he says, dropping one more kiss on my temple before he goes. I turn back to look at the view, and a huge yawn escapes from somewhere deep inside me. I take a photo and share it on Instagram. Nanna Beth likes it straight away and leaves a comment:

Love you very much xxx

I feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. It’s been such a long week, and I am so tired. Nanna’s back in her sheltered accommodation, only with a carer popping in once a day just to make sure she’s okay. She’s got a ton of medication to take each morning and evening, but she’s sorted it all out with neat little pillboxes – it’s very her. But oh, I miss her. I wish I could be there – wish I didn’t have to be so far away. Wish I wasn’t so tired . . .

Chapter Forty: Jess

Chapter Forty

Jess

12th October, Venice

When I wake up, it’s with a start. And I realise it’s morning, and the bed’s empty. It’s my birthday, and I’m in Venice, and I’m completely alone. It’s not exactly what I’d been thinking of when James said we were having a weekend in a lovely hotel. I roll over, lifting the duvet just in case he’s hidden underneath.

Shit.

‘James?’

Silence.

I look in the bathroom and there’s a hotel branded Post-it Note on the mirror.

Gone for a wander. Thought I’d let you sleep. J x