‘Don’t think so. She’s got a lot on.’ Nic wonders if he knows what the social worker said, what Lena promised. It seems to her that nobody communicates with each other here except for notes about dressings and medication scribbled on a chart. Every nurse or doctor she speaks to seems not to know anything about her circumstances beyond the chart. Except Kon, who is either the only human on staff or, if she’s being fair, somehow has fewer patients or less admin work to attend to and so can spend a few minutes chatting every time he comes around.

‘I bet. I don’t think any of my nieces or nephews would be able to find five minutes to visit me in your situation.’

‘You have nieces and nephews? How many?’

Kon pretends to count on his fingers, throws his hands up when he reaches ten. ‘Dozen or more. Lost count. I’m one of eight and the rest of them have been breeding for Australia, so it’s hard to keep track.’

‘You’re not close to them? The kids, I mean?’

‘Oh, now and then. You know how it is. You’re their favourite one day and they don’t want to know you the next. Maybe it’s me, though. I never liked kids that much—even when I was one.’ ‘Lena’s the same way. I mean, she’s fine with older kids—going to be a teacher and all, so you’d hope so. But she’s not keen on babies, toddlers and that. Says she can’t stand to be around people content to sit in their own poo for hours.’

‘Right? Sitting in their own poo, face covered in snot and slop and god knows what and will scream the place down if you try to clean them up. Disgusting little creatures.’ As he says this, Kon washes the hands that have just re-dressed her infected leg wound. She doesn’t believe for a minute he’d be repulsed by a messy baby. He wouldn’t know how not to be tender. Look how he’d distracted her from being swabbed and stung and bandaged! Banter as anaesthetic, Michelle used to call it. Taught Nic how to launch into a slightly shocking story or controversial opinion right before the splinter had to come out or the mercurochrome had to be dabbed on.

‘Not that I’ve given up on world’s best uncle title, mind you.’ Kon adjusted the blanket over her newly dressed leg. ‘Once these kids reach legal age it’s my time to shine. No PlayStation at my place, but I’ve got a well-stocked home bar and a hell of a music system.’

‘You have a lot of parties?’