I lifted my empty cup, looked at it. ‘Sarah really likes him, and so do the kids. He says he loves being around us.’

‘Chris, I’m still in shock,’ she said.

I’d wanted to tell Josh and Mel at the same time. She leant on her elbows, hands on her face, smiled. ‘Biddy?’

‘I know,’ I said. ‘Sorry for sleeping with your friend before checking with you. I know you don’t hang out very often, and you’re not even that close, but –’

‘You know she’ll want more than a fling.’

‘Well, yeah … Me too, I think.’

We stood together at the cashier.

‘And what if she wants you all to herself?’

‘No idea.’

The barista came over, I scanned my card. Mel and I walked together towards the library. We could talk about anything, change the subject.

‘She doesn’t want to split my marriage up.’

‘I’m sure she doesn’t.’

* * *

Valentino was out, Mick was in. He’d come to our house on Monday while I was at work, had sex with Sarah on our bed. It was good, I knew, because –

‘Pass me the grater, hun.’

‘Here you go.’

I picked up the dishtowel again, looked for a dry patch.

He’d texted to say he could come on his motorbike, had arrived in his helmet and leathers, a porn god. Sarah had helped get his jacket off, his boots, his pants. They’d fallen onto our bed, started –

‘Here,’ she said, ‘can you put these away first?’

I took the pans from her, opened the cupboard.

‘Mummy, I’m thirsty,’ Sophie said at the kitchen door. She coughed, rasped. She’d been well enough for school, luckily for Sarah, but maybe wouldn’t be tomorrow.

‘And does your bruise hurt?’ I said.

‘Not really, Daddy.’

She’d punched a boy in her class, he’d punched her back – his injuries, apparently, were worse. If Sophie could point him out to me, I’d be able to go over to him, say hello, squeeze his little fingers till the knuckles started grinding.

Sarah dried her hands, filled a plastic cup, gave it to Sophie. ‘I’ll be through in a second, darling. Mummy and Daddy are just washing up, we won’t be long.’

Sophie downed the glass, coughed again. ‘Can I have another one?’

‘Here,’ I said, ‘let me get it for you.’

‘Can I have honey in it for my cough?’

I squeezed in the honey, gave it to her, picked her up, rubbed and patted her back. Another cough.

‘Poor little darling,’ Sarah said. ‘That’s not sounding good. We need to get it sorted, don’t we?’

I took a glass of water to Oliver, rubbed his head, said, ‘Oh, Adventure Time.’

He said nothing, kept his eyes on the iPad screen.

‘What’s happening in this episode?’