[Dulwich. Friday April 6. 14:15 BST.]
We landed at half twelve. Sarah said her goodbye on the apron and got into the car park separately because she had a niece in Wimbledon she had not seen in three weeks and the niece was four. I drove home alone.
The Friday traffic on the M4 was the Friday traffic on the M4. I got to Dulwich at quarter past two. Parked in the residents' bay outside the flat. Took the holdall up the stairs.
She heard the key.
She was off the sofa before I had the door shut behind me. Bare feet on the wooden floor. Academy hoodie, joggers, her hair tied up with a pencil that was about to fall out and did. She did not bend down to pick it up. She came across the room and put her arms round my neck and her face into the side of mine and stayed there for a long time without saying anything.
I put the holdall down with my left hand. Got my right round the small of her back. Held her there.
"Hi."
"Hi."
