‘But I could do a better job trying,’ she said, wiping away a tear.

‘You saved me. And for that I’ll be forever grateful,’ Isaac replied. They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching as Peter started to spray Penny with the hose, chasing her around the garden until she burst out laughing and grabbed him, showering him with kisses.

‘What are you going to do?’ asked Isaac.

‘There’s a new baby in my family. I have a new niece.’

‘Congratulations. Your sister, in Slovakia, yeah?’

‘Yes. She named her after our mother and me. I was planning to go and visit.’

‘I’ve always wanted to visit Slovakia,’ said Isaac.

‘Would you want to come with me?’ asked Erika. ‘You could meet my crazy sister and her mafia husband, and then when we’ve had enough of them we could go visit the High Tatras, the hot springs, get drunk and forget about things for a bit.’

‘That sounds heavenly,’ grinned Isaac.

Erika put the car in gear and they pulled away, not thinking about the past or the future. For once, just enjoying the present.