I haven’t had pizza in a while. The whole pizza-every-Saturday thing was more fun when I wasn’t in charge of all the money. And doing stuff that we used to isn’t fun anymore.

But it’s Saturday. The house is clean, and I’ve eaten pretty much the same two things for dinner for thirty-four nights in a row. I want someone else to feed me.

“Come on Splints, we’re getting pizza.”

THE SMILE RAFA gives me as I poke my head round the door makes me forget my nerves.

“Hello, stranger, we’ve missed you! I was beginning to think you’d dumped us for some other pizza place!”

I smile.

“You didn’t call ahead tonight. The usual?”

I nod.

“Alrighty! Two pizzas for Rae coming up!”

“Oh, just the margherita . . .”

“What? Just one?” He peers at the door. “Where’s that lovely mum of yours?”

“She, ah, she’s not feeling that well.” It’s not a lie.

He tips his head to the side. “You sure that’s it?”

My mouth dries. “What?”

“You sure that’s it?” He stares, arching an eyebrow so it wrinkles like a fat hairy caterpillar. “You sure she hasn’t gone and found herself another pizza man?” He winces. “I don’t think my heart could bear it.”

My laughter sounds too loud. “No! She asked for a—” I pick a random name off the menu board. “She asked for a vulcano this time.”

“Really?” He’s surprised.

I nod.

“Alrighty, then.”

I guess I’ve got lunch for tomorrow as well. I perch up on the stool closest to the door to be closer to Splints. Rafa finishes what he’s doing and wanders over.

“Where’s that dog of yours, then?” He glances about and winks at me. “Nobody but us and Gus in the kitchen.” He rubs his hands together. “Let’s get him in for a bit of a rumble!” He raises his voice and yells toward the kitchen. “You won’t tell, will ya, Gus?”

A woman pops her head around the partition. “If I see nothing, then nothing’s happening.”

Rafa grins and opens the door. “Come on, buddy!”

Splinter can’t believe his luck. He tumbles in and throws himself into the pizza-smelling arms held out to him. He gets a good ear ruffling and a wrestle in return.

“What a dog! Master Splinter! We’ve missed you, oh yes we have.”

“What’s all the noise?” Gus wanders out of the kitchen. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think there was a dog in here.” She bends down and gives Splints a scratch behind the ear. She grins at me. I smile back, but the edges feel tight. These two adults, with their cool hair and tats, are talking to me like I belong here.

“How’ve you been?” She asks it like I’m interesting.