I wrap my fingers around his collar. “Everything’s changed for him. He lost Mum, he lost his house, he lost his leg. And now you want me to abandon him because it’s more convenient for you.”

“Rae, I can see you’re very upset.”

“Stop it!” I want to kick her.

“Stop what?”

“Stop pretending to be on my side. You’re not on my side. He’s my side. If he’s not coming, then neither am I.” I watch her feet twitch. “That’s probably what you wanted all along anyway.”

“Rae.”

I knot my fingers into Splinter’s fur.

“Rae, look at me.”

You used to ask me to do that too.

“Oh, for god’s sake.” I watch as one foot lifts and hits the footpath. She’s shouting now. I knew it. I knew it.

“Will you stop being so bloody unreasonable? This is hard for me too. I haven’t seen you since you were three, and now you’re half-grown-up and god knows what happened to you in the years in between. I did a terrible job with your mother, and now I’m expected to pick up the pieces she left when she went and—”

I can’t even look at her feet now.

Her breathing’s harsh and frayed around the edges. She breathes like you do when she’s upset. I squeeze my eyes shut. I can hear her swallow. “I lost her too. Twice.” Her voice cracks.

I squeeze my eyes tighter.

I feel her sit down in the gutter next to me. I shift over. Not to make room for her, but so we’re not touching.

She’s quiet. I can hear her rubbing at her face. Another familiar sound.

“You look so like her.” Her voice’s soft and rough. “I’m so angry at her.” I crack open an eye and look. She’s looking at her feet. “I’m so angry at me.”

I say nothing.

We sit in the gutter not touching. Splints tries to lick the salt off my cheeks but gets the cone stuck on my neck.

She stands, holds out her hand. “Will you come?”

I sink my face into Splints’s shoulder.

“Please. Will you come?”

I still won’t look at her.

“He can come too, okay?”

I point at her tiny purple car, parked between our place and Lucy’s. “How will he fit?”

“I’ll make room.”