I held up a hand.

‘Aiden,’ I said. ‘My brain, the computer in my head, whatever, is hurting right now. And it’s really tired. Tell me about it some other time. I’m going back to bed.’ I scuffed Zorro under the chin and he licked my hand. ‘Love you, puppy,’ I said. ‘And you, bro,’ I said to Aiden.

He laughed.

When I got to the door, he spoke once more.

‘Another thing I’ve been thinking about, Ash,’ he said. ‘That girl in the park. Xena.’

‘What about her?’

‘I want to talk to her again.’

That stopped me. I’d been thinking about her on and off as well and as soon as Aiden said he wanted to speak to her, I realised that was something I wanted too. But it was impossible, so I’d never allowed the wish to properly form.

‘Why?’

‘Because I think she might have answers to other questions I need answered.’

‘Like what?’

But Aiden was back inside his own head and I don’t think he even heard me.

Aiden was in the clinic most of the following day, but when he got back he seemed much happier. The frame was gone and he was walking, though I think I detected a very slight limp in his right leg. Dad agreed that we could both go swimming, though he put a one-hour limit on it. More importantly, he told us that he and Mum were agreed that we could both go back to school on Monday. That gave us just three more days of being cooped up in the house.

Z improved slightly at swimming. Aiden and I took it in turns to hold him in the water, one hand under his belly, and get him to make walking movements. When all four legs were going, we’d let go and he would swim maybe a couple of metres before he’d stop and sink like a brick. Aiden dived and got him each time. I struggled to dive that deep, whereas my brother made it look easy.

We rested at the side of the pool. Dad seemed to have forgotten the hour rule and we weren’t going to remind him. I put my arm around Aiden’s shoulders.

‘Are you ready to move back into our bedroom?’ I asked.

‘Not really,’ he said. There was no hesitation. He kicked away from the wall and floated on his back a metre away, staring at the ceiling. ‘I like having my own room. It feels like a place I don’t have to share. I asked Mum and Dad and they said I could stay where I am.’ He scissored up to face me, treading water. ‘No offence, Ash. And anyway, you’ve always moaned about having me in there. Plus, let’s be honest. We’re both thirteen now. It’s not like we’re kids afraid of the dark.’

‘You’re right,’ I said, as breezily as I could manage. ‘Way too old to be sharing a room.’ I splashed him in the face. ‘I don’t even like you,’ I added.