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‘Breakfast then?’ She tutted at Evelyn’s shrug, and rummaged in the cupboard. ‘Beans on toast it is then.’

‘I’m not really that hungry.’ Julie ignored her and dropped bread into the toaster, before dumping sugar into the tea she was making.

‘I understand that. I imagine your stomach has been in knots for days. Am I right?’

Evelyn nodded tiredly.

‘And you’re probably not sleeping. You probably collapse in your bed, toss and turn for hours, wander around the house pointlessly, then finally fall asleep in the early hours of the morning, only to have nightmares that shake you awake before you’ve had a moment of real rest.’

‘How did you know?’

‘I’m not a doctor or nurse, but I’ve been in this job long enough to recognise grief-induced exhaustion. I know that you and Jake parted on less than good terms, and that you’re making mistakes in your notes, and falling asleep at your desk.’

‘I’m sorry. You must hate me.’

‘Oh, not at all Evelyn. But I am letting you go.’

Panic filled her. She needed this job. It was the only thing she had left that was normal and healthy. And she needed to have something good left in her life to focus on … afterwards. ‘But—’

‘No buts my girl.’ Julie held up her hand. ‘I’m sending you home. At least temporarily. I know you wanted to keep working for as long as possible, but I think you’ve reached your limit. Consider it sick leave, because if you carry on like this you will make yourself ill. Tom, Callum, me and the rest of the team will be with you every step of the way – and if you want to come back to work with us at some point in the future, there will be a role for you. I promise you that. But right now, you need to go home and look after yourself and your daughter.’

‘I don’t know how to,’ Evelyn admitted as she took a bite of the toast, which was much, much tastier than she had expected.

‘Yes you do,’ Julie soothed her. ‘You’ve been her mum for her whole life, and you’re a brilliant one. You don’t even have to think about it, you just do it. Without thought, or worry, or anything but love. Everything else will just happen as it’s going to happen.’

Evelyn’s shoulders started to shake as tears streaked through her mascara to leave dirty trails of pain on her cheeks. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘No, I’m the one who’s sorry.’ Julie wrapped her arms around her. ‘I’m sorry you’re going through this. I’m sorry there’s so little we can do to help. I’m sorry for Linda, but most of all I’m sorry for Summer and you. No parent should ever have to face this.’ She rocked Evelyn back and forth, stroking her back while she cried against the unnatural pain that coloured her future. ‘It’s all right, I’m here. You just cry for as long as you need. I’ve got you.’

And true to her word, Julie sat there patiently, letting Evelyn cry until she had no tears left.

‘Dad?’ Jake slammed the front door, barely bothering to clean his shoes before bursting into the living room. ‘Dad, are you here?’

‘He’s upstairs. What’s going on?’ Julie looked up from her book. ‘Is everything all right?’ She struggled to stand up from her curled-up position on the sofa.

‘I think it might be.’ He gave her a hopeful smile. ‘But I need Dad.’

‘What’s all this hollering about?’ Tom’s heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs and Jake steeled himself for the argument he was anticipating. ‘Jake, it’s late. Is everything OK?’

‘I need to talk to you. About Summer. And I don’t want to hear a word about patient confidentiality or anything like that.’

‘Jake, you know I can’t discuss any patient with you.’

‘Dad, please.’ Jake wasn’t above begging. ‘It’s more important than I know how to explain. I’m asking you as my dad. Please, please help me.’

‘You’re asking me to break the law, jeopardise my professional standing, and go against the code of conduct I’ve worked to for decades.’ His face was stern and unmovable.

‘Tom, I think we can make an exception. Just this once,’ his mother interceded and Jake held his breath, hoping it would be enough. ‘He’s in love with Evelyn. And Summer. Tom, tell him what he needs to know.’

Tom looked at his wife in shock. ‘Julie, you know the rules.’

‘You know that I do, and you know that both Jake and I understand what we’re asking. But if you turn your son away now, when he needs your help more than ever, you’ll regret it for years.’

Tom nodded slowly, his mouth a thin line. He wasn’t happy, but was obviously going to listen to his wife.

‘Thank you, my darling.’ Julie placed a kiss on his cheek. ‘I’ll get a computer and pull up Summer’s notes, and then I’m putting the kettle on. I’m getting the impression this could be a late night.’

‘So you really love her?’ His dad watched him closely.