“Yes, she’s my…friend’s mother.” He stumbled over the word ‘friend.’ Were they friends? Friends with benefits? Or was she his girlfriend?

“There is no private health cover for the patient,” the nurse said.

“I am aware of that,” he replied, although he hadn’t been.

“There will be a cost—”

“I am also aware of that,” he said, using his ‘arsehole boss’ voice as Natalie called it. “You can bill me for it.” He slid a business card ...