He did not answer the second question first, which is what anybody would have done.

“He has, yes.

Your husband came and saw the babies.” Then he stopped for a beat.

“You honestly have no idea why he’s gone?”

“Gone?” There was no moisture in my mouth at all.

“I don’t understand what you mean.

Where is he?”

He reached behind him for the chair by the window, the grey one with the flat cushion, and pulled it round to the side of the bed and sat down in it.