Aunty Nic was quiet for an alarming amount of time. Will refilled her lemonade, got himself a glass of water from the tap, sat back down and she still hadn’t spoken. He opened his mouth to ask if she wanted to lie down again but she cut in before he could speak.

‘I don’t disagree she should have known better. The repulsive bullshit those college boys pull has been in the news on and off for a month. If I knew about it there’s no way she wouldn’t have. I can’t imagine what she was thinking, hooking up with one of those grubs. But the thing about Lena is …’ Another deep, long breath. ‘The thing about Lena is that she expects the best from people, expects they’ll be as up-front and generous as she is. She thinks well of people and opens herself to them and, and, it just sucks, doesn’t it?’ Her voice broke again. ‘This world where someone like her has to be guarded and suspicious and, and, and make these small scared choices so as not to be brutalised.’

‘Have some more lemonade. It’s important you stay hydrated.’ He didn’t know if that was true, specifically, but it was never a bad idea.

She sipped, breathed, settled more calmly in her chair. ‘Do you remember when you were little and you came home from a sleepover at a mate’s place carrying on about the glow-in-the-dark stars on his bedroom ceiling?’

‘Yeah. Ronnie. You turned the lights out to sleep and it was like there was open sky above.’

‘Yeah. And you remember that almost a year later you climbed into bed and your mum turned off your light and there they were, all those stars shining away?’

Of course he remembered. When had he ever, ever, ever felt joyful surprise like that before or since?

‘You know it was your sister did that. Saved all of her car-washing money since you told her about the stickers. Finally had enough to buy two packets, because one wouldn’t give a flash enough result. Spent hours sticking those tiny stars up, crawling back down the ladder and pushing it a few centimetres before climbing back up, over and over and over again, refusing to stop for a break because she might not finish before you were home from cricket and she was determined to give you the full, glorious surprise of the night sky in your room.’

‘I know. She did well. She did.’

‘Your face when you saw it, and hers seeing yours—brighter than all the stars that had ever shone. That’s what your mum told me. Brighter than all the stars, the two of you that night.’

‘She was a good little sister.’

‘And you were a good older brother. You were. Don’t give me that look.’

‘Tell that to her arm.’