‘So how did you end up knowing your way round London so well?’ Jess asks as she pulls her hat down a bit further on her head. It’s weird that January’s often colder than December – even though December is the month most associated with winter and snow. It feels a bit like it might snow now – the sky’s a funny sort of yellow-grey colour.

‘My dad worked here for years. He used to get the train up, and when I was old enough I’d come up with him in the holidays and just sort of wander around.’

Jess looks at me sideways like I’m a weirdo. ‘On your own?’

I pull a face. ‘Yeah.’

‘That is a bit weird. What did you do?’

‘I wanted to be an architect like him. So I’d wander about and look at stuff. I always had a Travelcard, so I could go wherever I wanted – within reason. Plus I wasn’t a baby – I was fifteen, sixteen.’ I tail off a bit. It does sound a bit weird, come to think of it. ‘Anyway. The good thing is that I didn’t become an architect, because it turns out I’m pretty hopeless at precision stuff.’

‘That’s good to know. I’ll avoid you if you’re wielding a scalpel in future.’

‘You know what I mean. Architecture’s all about the detail. I’m more slapdash and that’ll do.’

She grins at me. ‘All right. So how did you go from wannabe architect to lawyer to student nurse?’ she asks.

‘Ah.’ We pause and wait for the lights to change at a crossing. There’s a coffee shop opposite. ‘I’m dying for a coffee. Shall we get one to take out?’

‘Sure.’

Two takeaway lattes later, we set off again. I’m explaining how I fell into studying law because it seemed like a sensible thing to do, and Jess is nodding vigorously.

‘That’s like me with the marketing job. I finished my degree and went back home to work out what to do, and I saw the advert and the next thing I knew I’d applied.’

‘And then you got the job and the next thing you knew the rest of your life was all mapped out?’

She nods again. ‘Exactly!’

‘That’s what happened to me. I thought I’d do law, then maybe do a postgrad in something else, do a job that made a difference. But I kind of got caught up in the whole job thing by mistake, and of course I’d met Alice by then . . .’

‘Your girlfriend?’

‘Ex.’

‘Sorry. That’s what I meant.’

‘And it just all sort of slotted together. And it would’ve been fine, except then my dad got sick, and then he died.’

‘Oh.’ Jess puts a hand on my arm as we stop at another crossing. She squeezes it gently. ‘I’m sorry.’