He gives me a half-glance from under hooded eyelids. ‘He’s back.’

‘Your stepdad?’

Finn shrugs. ‘Doesn’t want me there. So I go out.’

‘And when you go out . . .’

‘I drink, yeah.’

‘Is that all?’

‘Smoke a bit too. No more than that.’

‘Because yesterday you were out of order, you know that?’ He shrugs again and I smell stale sweat. ‘Where are you sleeping, Finn?’

‘With mates. He bolts the door so I can’t get in. No biggie, I don’t wanna be there and hear how he talks to Mum. I might lose it, shut him up for good.’

Usually Finn lumbers around the workshop like Shrek, and I can’t imagine him being violent. ‘Sounds tough.’

Silence.

‘You’ve come on a long way here, Finn. You’re bright. Picked up machine work way faster than most of the lads. Plus, you’re creative. So many ideas.’

He scoffs, finding praise way harder to take than criticism.

‘I mean it. There’ll be no problem finding something permanent for you, if you can get your shit together. But that needs to happen fast.’

He doesn’t respond.

‘See the photos on the wall?’ Finn’s head doesn’t move, but his eyes follow to where I’m pointing. ‘This is my rogues’ gallery. The lads who made the biggest progress. Take this guy, Arnie? He was in worse shape than you, but I bumped into him a few days ago and now he’s sorted: job, house, girlfriend, even a new baby. I believe you could be on this wall one day.’

‘That ain’t the way I’m made.’

‘No, that’s bull. You can change. But we can’t do that for you. Think about it. If you come back tomorrow – on time, tidied up – we can start over.’

‘I got nowhere to go,’ he mutters after a pause, then kicks his backpack. ‘My last mate kicked me out last night and I kipped in the park. How am I gonna tidy up there?’

Oh, mate, I’ve been there. Should I tell him that now? No. This isn’t about me – it’s about him.

‘What if I call the Foyer, see if they’ve got space? It’s basic, but it’s five stars compared to a cell. Or the park. And no stepdad hassle.’

I hold my breath. Make the right choice, Finn. Please.

‘OK.’

Bingo! I try not to let him see how relieved I am. ‘I’ll do it now.’

As Finn stands up, the chair sighs again. ‘Why bother with me, boss?’

I could say it’s about protecting the project’s success rates, so he doesn’t feel under pressure. Or go the opposite way: turn up the volume on my hopes for him, on how I know he can change.

‘You’re one of us, Finn. We look after our own.’

The half-smile he gives me means I got it right. I stand up and open the door, miming giving him a kick up the arse as he walks back into the workshop, and the others shout and jeer, asking if he’s been thrown out, but cheer when he says he’s staying.