"You can't eat that." I pull a face. "It looks gross."

She grins at me. "It's hospital food."

Her mum is sat reading a book, although I've caught her secretly watching us a couple of times. We've spent the morning watching the news and playing snap. I've played the part of the perfect gentleman and I've won her mother over.

"Let's go down to the canteen and get something better."

Pushing the table away, she doesn't need to be told twice. She feels trapped in this ...