‘Yeah, a bubble bath. The kids were dirty and Biddy and I wanted to … I don’t know, to relax with them.’

Sarah’s look … it wasn’t good.

But Oliver’s face, his expression as Biddy stood with her back to him, getting out of the bath. He was pre-sexual, pre-perversion, but, Jesus Christ, just look at that peachy ass. Sophie had been wide-eyed too: a new body, not their mum or dad’s, not their own. But they were innocent.

Sarah said, ‘Do you think you’d be happy if I took a bath with the kids and some guy?’

Dave’s soapy schlong, Vernon’s battleship bobbing into Sophie’s rubber ducky. ‘Which guy are we talking about, exactly? There have been a few.’

‘You’re being unfair, Chris.’

‘Have any of them shown any interest in our kids or being part of our lives? Do you think it’s –?’

Sarah’s phone ringing – Zac!

‘Oh,’ she said, looking at the caller, then her happy voice, ‘Hi, Mum, how are you?’

* * *

‘Yeah, I love them,’ I said, hugging Biddy on the Saturday. Her new pants, black and grey check, from Scavengers. She liked preloved things, saw beauty in objects other people had cast aside. Coats, hats, husbands …

We had an hour until I had to leave again and take over with the kids so Sarah could study because Zac was in jail, the selfish prick. Noel and Winford were out walking Cedric.

We could have sex, and would have done so in the recent past, before I’d lied to her by omission about Zac’s legal travails.

‘I was just going to make some lunch,’ she said. ‘You hungry?’

Yeah, fucking yeah, I was, hadn’t eaten yet. ‘No thanks. But you go ahead.’ I’d never lied to her, she’d never lied to me, but now …

‘Are you sure?’ she said. ‘I’m doing poached eggs.’

‘Yeah, I’m good. I had a big breakfast with the kids.’

I sat on the stool, watched her put the pan on the stovetop, flick on the kettle switch, chop some garlic. Her body, those hips, and yeah … Sarah had reminded me the farm we’d be staying on belonged to her great-aunt and uncle, who’d be staying at their weekender but would drop in from time to time. And we’d have to be careful around the kids, and –

‘So, yeah, Christmas,’ Biddy said, turning. ‘That’s so exciting.’

‘Yeah, it’s going to be great. Sarah’s excited too.’

The property was nearly a thousand acres, with a sizeable farmhouse. We’d have ample room to be together, Biddy and me, Sarah and me, room to be alone, room to have fun with or peace from the kids.

‘I told my mum, and she was really happy. I’m going to borrow her car.’