"I probably am," he admits, setting aside his drink and picking at a piece of food thoughtfully. "But I can leave early. Actually, I might just take an extra day off anyway." He wrinkles his nose, chewing on a piece of sandwich for a moment. "The flat is all a bit of a mess, and Lily could probably do with a relatively safe adventure. She's been cooped up with me struggling with everything."

The garden needs tidying, everything needs moving to clean properly, and he has a few loads of washing to do on top of all that...