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“Had a nice chat with Mabel. They used to run our restaurant and then left and took on this gig. Doing well, it seems.”

“Mabel. That the woman with the…”

“You can say it. The nonbinary human in the dress. Heels. Blonde bob. Some days, they wear a dress, other days you’ll find Mabel in a sharp suit. Just the way they roll. But that’s just clothes. On the inside, they are onehell of a solid fruitcake. Nutty yet one hundred per cent reliable.” He didn’t sound convinced all of a sudden.

“How do you mean?”

He made a face like he didn’t know that himself. “Nutty fruitcake. That’s what my son always called them. Off their rocker at times, but always the person you can go to for advice. My son had a bit of a crush on them for a while, which was rather amusing. And I got some good advice today.”

“Want to share?”

He laughed. I liked when he did.

“Not really. I think I shared enough. Still musing over it all. Not sure I should take it.”

“Did they offer you a job?”

“They implied there was an offer there, but that I shouldn’t take it. I don’t doubt they would find me work if I asked, but I agree with them. It would be a step down. Not a step forward.”

“True.”

I relaxed into the seat as Stewart took a wide turn onto Whitehall, past Trafalgar Square and up towards Soho. Familiar streets. Too many people. A world away fromthe quiet, gated oasis we called home. I wanted to say something to that effect but swallowed my tongue.

We weren’t anus, and I was not the good guy here. I was taking advantage of his kindness in every way, expecting him to jump to my rescue at any hour of the day, and I hadn’t even thanked him properly for putting me in touch with Gun Larsen of all people.

“Stewart, I am so incredibly grateful for your company. Your help. That you’re doing all that you’re doing for me. It’s not expected or required; you need to know that. But it is massively appreciated.”

I huffed it out as he did that face again. I was starting to recognise it. Perhaps he was unsure what I meant. In any case, he was uncomfortable.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

“I mean it. I didn’t realise how bad I’d got, and you have been…I don’t know. You’ve been amazing.”

“Same,” he said in a voice that sounded strained, like he was wanting to say something else. He gulped for air as we sat at a red light. I stared ahead. He swallowed.

“If I told you that what you just said was similar to what I wasgoing to tell you…”

“Was that Mabel’s advice?” I was trying to make light of this, get back into some kind of normality. I had no idea when we’d lost it, when our conversations had become this stilted and grey.

“Actually…” There was a small smile. Good. “Exactly, yet not at all. But anyway. How did your meeting go?”

“I don’t know. I have no idea what I was thinking. It’s all such a disaster, and looking back, I made mistakes. I let things get on top of me, and Veronica had me served to her on a plate.”

He huffed out a strained laugh. I shook my head.

“I’m an idiot.”

“You’re not.”

“I was desperate and heartbroken and in a shocking state. I didn’t think she’d actually do it—take the kids away permanently. She couldn’t even remember the kids’ birthdays in court yet still made me look incapable and irresponsible as a father.”

“And now The Gun is going to sort her out?”

“No. She’s made it very clear she won’t. But she called me out on some very uncomfortable truths. Things I needed to hear and perhaps finally process. I realise now I needto accept those truths and learn to deal with them. We’re not going to go down the route of trying to undo those. Instead, Gun is going to start talking to people. Seed ideas around and do some gentle ruffling of feathers, to quote her words. Shock and awe. I probably shouldn’t be telling you this.”

“You should. Don’t let things stew, Dylan. I’m right here.”

“You’re my neighbour. You shouldn’t have to carry all my woes.”