‘That’s also a perspective not everyone agrees with. Eating animals, using them for our needs, is natural.’

‘But, do you agree?’ I hold my breath, unsure if I want to hear the answer.

He scratches his beard again. ‘You’re challenging me with your ideas, Sky. I appreciate that. How about I promise to think deeply about everything you’ve said, and you and I promise to keep talking openly?’

Not the perfect answer, but good enough for now. I let myself breathe, and give him a smile. ‘Whatever you do, it’s okay with me.’

I lie with my head next to my father’s until Miriam and Mike return with a tray of coffees and tea. My grandmother smiles as I sit up.

‘Two peas in a pod,’ she says as she passes me the tea and my father the coffee. He pulls himself up to sit, grunting a little as he holds his ribs.

The nurse knocks and enters the room, checks his clipboard, makes a note, and takes the drip out of Adam’s arm, attaching a bandaid in its place. ‘Tomorrow you can rest and recover, we’ll double-check there are no follow-on issues, and Friday you should be good to—’

‘Go home?’ my father butts in.

‘Yes.’

Phew. That’s the day before I fly. At least we can have a little more time together.

‘Am I okay to travel?’ my father asks.

‘Drive, sail, fly, sure thing,’ the nurse says. ‘You may be in some pain from your rib cage and will probably frighten a few fellow travellers with that bruised face of yours. But, apart from that? You’re perfect.’

There’s that word again.

Perfect.

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

‘There’s extra space in my suitcase if you need it.’ Melody rolls her clothes into sausages and fits them together like a puzzle. ‘I literally didn’t buy a thing here. Cheapest trip ever!’

‘I forgot to give this to you,’ I say, digging through the bag of gifts I bought in town to find the crotcheted scarf. ‘Now you have a souvenir.’

‘Thanks, love, that’s a beauty, and soft too.’ She wraps it around her neck. ‘I’ll wear it right now.’

‘I think I’ve got enough room,’ I say, as I overturn the contents of my suitcase onto the floor. I never actually used the cupboard so my bag is buried under a mountain of clothes, dirty mixed with clean. Since the camping trip, I never got around to doing laundry. Gross.

‘Flying tomorrow, I can’t believe it. Sorry we couldn’t delay, love; plenty of seats to LA, it was the next leg to Sydney that was totally booked up.’

‘You must have wanted to stay for Autumn too?’ I venture.