‘Mother had been very clear, he was not to tell anybody. She was lying on the marital bed, it was Tuesday 23 July 2013. Piet had sat next down to her, on the side where father used to sleep. “What else can you do, my boy?” She started to talk about their cats. At that point there were nine, who were fed high-quality food from exclusive brands which she bought at Das Futterhaus in Tüddern, just over the border in Germany.
Then there was the rent, and all those other costs. How would he be able to come up with that on his own? Piet did not contradict her, he had never done so. So he said: I won’t tell anyone, mother.’