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‘But you said yourself that it was the only idea they’ve shown any interest in.’

‘I know. I don’t have any choice but to submit it, and hope. But it’s a lot of money. A huge amount.’

‘You can have my money box. I’ve got lots of pennies.’ Sarah’s offer filled him with equal amounts of guilt and pride. Pride because somehow, he had raised this incredible, caring, sweet little person — and guilt that he couldn’t protect her from such worries.

‘That’s a really nice offer.’ He wrapped his arm around her, squeezing her tightly. ‘But I think we might need a little bit more than your money box.’

‘OK.’ She wriggled against him and pulled something out of her pocket and seized his hand. ‘Here you go.’

Callum peered down at the couple of coins and shiny button resting in his palm, and then looked back up at his daughter’s proud face. ‘You know, you really are one of the best little girls ever.’

‘I couldn’t agree more.’ Liv held up her glass. ‘You helped me find a magical fairy well. Cheers!’

‘Cheers!’ The glasses chinked together.

Sarah perched on the edge of the well and swung her feet back and forth.

‘Be careful!’ Callum and Liv shared an amused glance as they spoke simultaneously.

‘I’m fine,’ Sarah argued as Callum sat next to her, his spare arm firmly behind her back to make sure she couldn’t slip backwards. ‘It’s a fairy well.’

‘Fairy well or not, gravity still applies,’ Callum chided. ‘You could still slip and fall.’

‘Nuh uh.’ Sarah wriggled to lean over her dad’s arm and peer into the darkness.

‘Sarah, you need to be more careful.’ He grabbed the waistband of her shorts. ‘If you slipped and fell in, you could be badly hurt.’

‘I am being careful!’ she argued. ‘But I needed to look.’

‘What is it you’re looking for?’ Liv peered over the edge of the well with them.

‘Magic.’

Callum tried not to roll his eyes at Sarah’s answer. As much as he wanted to fill her world with everything good, and encourage her imagination, he struggled when it came to the fairies and unicorns that seemed to fill her life.

‘Can you see any?’ Liv asked earnestly.

Maybe it was a girl thing, and that was why he couldn’t understand.

‘No. But fairies hide lots. Daddy, can I have my button back?’

‘Here you go, Sarey-fairy.’ He watched as she held the button in her fist, squeezing so tightly that her small knuckles turned white as she whispered something, eyes shut and face scrunched-up in concentration. After a few seconds she grinned at him and threw the button into the well. They watched as it bounced off the ancient stones, plinking as it hit and flashing in the sunlight.

She grinned up at them both. ‘Your turn.’

‘Our turn to what?’

She rolled her eyes. ‘To give the fairies a gift and make your wishes. For the people with the money to like your ideas and give you the money you need for the surgery.’

‘Riiiight.’ Callum nodded, humouring her. It was what good parents were supposed to do, he was sure of that.

‘Can’t hurt.’ Liv shrugged. ‘What type of gift would a fairy like?’

‘They like shiny things.’ Sarah nodded knowingly.

‘Like coins?’

‘If they’re shiny.’