I’ve read the cable from Hiro's father over and over, the words etched in my mind. I can hardly believe that Kazu will be with me in a few days’ time.

But with the longing comes the anxiety. Just last week, there was news of increased US submarine activity in the East China Sea. Kazu is so small and delicate. What if something happens to the boat and he's thrown overboard into the deep cold sea? No, no, I must not think such things.

Wednesday, 4 February

Feeling too restless be remain on my own, I took the train to Tamiko’s. With sisterly bossiness, she admonished me for fretting when I should be happy that Kazu was on his way. But her eyes were filled with tenderness and she launched straight in to telling me about her strict convent school days in Japan, so different from mine at the Glendower School in London where we spent most of our afternoons at nearby museums or in Hyde Park for games.

‘Did I tell you about the “exemption” ritual at school? We had to receive our weekly behaviour cards from the Reverend Mother every Monday morning. The girls’ names were called out to the whole school, with ratings of very good, good, fair, or, if one was really naughty, “no note”. And we had to curtsey to Reverend Mother when receiving the card.’

Tamiko suddenly pulled me up with both hands. ‘Like this,’ she said, demonstrating a curtsey and making me do the same. We took turns, being Reverend Mother, acting sillier and sillier, until finally, Tamiko went too deep and collapsed on the floor. Little Sachi, watching from Amah's knee, squealed with delight, her arms and legs splaying in the air, while we were helpless with laughter.

It was such spontaneous fun. But as I was leaving, Tamiko said she wanted to take me to meet her Quaker friends, Joyce and Keith Leigh, on Friday. And I realized she was thinking of ways to keep me occupied so as not to wallow in anxiety.