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‘She specialises in helping people with conditions like mine.’

‘You don’t need carers, you’ve got me.’

‘I know, love, and I couldn’t ask for a better son, but after this fall I need help getting back on my feet – and staying on them. And there’s things I need help with sometimes that I don’t want you to have to deal with.’

‘But Ma, I don’t mind.’

‘No, but I do. And I mind how much of your life you’re giving up. This isn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision, I’ve been thinking about this – and talking about it – for a while.’

‘You’ve not said a word about this,’ Aiden argued.

‘Not to you.’

Aiden wheeled on Mia. ‘Seriously? You’ve been plotting this with her?’

‘I wouldn’t say plotting, exactly.’

‘But you have been talking about this and not telling me about it,’ he snapped, then immediately regretted his tone – but damn it, he hated that this had been done behind his back. ‘Can we talk in the kitchen please?’

‘Aiden, love, don’t be sore with Mia. This is my choice and how I want things to be.’

‘Now please, Mia.’

She followed him to the kitchen, and quietly closed the door.

‘Mia…’ he started.

‘Don’t you take that tone of voice with me, Aiden Griffiths!’ she warned him. ‘I’m sure there’s going to be plenty of things that we disagree over – and even fight about – in the future, but this is not going to be one of them. I helped Sylvie because she asked for my advice, and then help. And I didn’t tell you about any of this because she asked me not to.’

‘She’s my ma,’ Aiden complained.

‘Yes, and she called me when I was at work, and asked me for my help with a clinical issue. It’s patient confidentiality. And she asked me not to tell you anyway, because she was worried you’d be a bit… silly about things.’

‘I’m not silly!’

‘So I imagined you trying to break up with me in the middle of an acute care ward?’

Aiden sagged against the kitchen table, feeling well and truly beaten. ‘Are you going to hold that against me for long?’

‘Only when you’re being silly.’ Mia stepped closer to him and placed a soft kiss against the edge of his lips.

‘I can look after her, you know. She doesn’t need a team of strangers to do it.’

‘I know that, and so does she. But it’s not what she wants – so much so that she asked for my help in arranging funding and setting up interviews with candidates all before she told you. Before I could tell you. So please don’t make her fight you for this.’

‘But she’s my ma.’

‘That’s kinda the point.’ She slid her arm round his waist. ‘There are some things you don’t want your loved ones to have to do – like physiotherapy for a healing hip. Aiden, you have to try and see this from her point of view. She’s losing parts of who she is, and there are days when she can’t trust or control her own body.’

‘You think I don’t know that? That’s why I want to help her.’

‘But this is something she can choose, something she can control. Please let her have this.’

‘Oh bugger, I really am being an arse, aren’t I?’

‘Never.’ Mia pulled him down to kiss him again. ‘But maybe a little bit silly.’

‘Thank you, Princess.’