I let him.

Not because he deserved it, but because Leo did. Daniel started seeing him every other Saturday. At first he was awkward and late. Slowly, he got better. He turned up on time. He stopped checking his phone. One evening Leo came home and said, “Dad said sorry to me today. For the stairs.”

Daniel works for a small furniture company in Kent now. He lives in a rented flat. His mother lives with him. I'm told she's not very happy about it.

Vanessa moved to Spain. The company is still waiting for its money.

Arthur Bell retired in the spring, and the board asked me to stay on as permanent chief executive. Profits are up eleven per cent. Megan runs the office better than anyone ever has.

On the anniversary of that dinner, I booked a table at the same restaurant. Just three of us: me, Leo and Hannah.

Hannah raised her glass. “To Grace,” she said. “Who never contributed anything.”

We laughed until the people at the next table turned to stare.

Leo clinked his lemonade against my glass.

“Mum,” he said. “Gran was wrong about you, wasn't she?”

“Yes, sweetheart. She was.”

“So you did do something.”

I smiled at my son.

“I waited,” I said. “And then I stood up.”