Dave put a hand on her leg and patted it. ‘I knew you’d do that.’ He pulled up in the driveway and switched off the engine.

He got out and popped the boot while Kim went and unlocked the house. He could hear her inside opening windows and doors to let in fresh air.

Carrying the cases inside, he placed them both on the bed and unzipped them.

‘So, are we going to talk about what happened in Perth?’ Kim’s voice came from behind him.

He didn’t turn around. ‘What do you mean?’ He took out his dirty washing and put it alongside the case.

‘While we were there, you weren’t behaving like you.’ Kim came around and sat on the edge of the bed.

Dave avoided her eyes. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. You asked me to go over there and see them. I did just that.’

‘Dave, sweetheart, they were trying to mend fences. You kept putting them back up again. Sometimes—’ She broke off and her hand snaked back up to her hair and she began twisting it again.

‘What?’ This time he looked at her. Defiance was burning in his stomach. Surely Kim of all people should understand, although how could she? Being turfed out hadn’t happened to her. He wanted her to understand that the minute the city skyline had come into view all the hurt and anger from being thrown off the farm hit him so hard he could barely breathe. The injustice of what his father had done, and the fact his mum, his own mother, and brothers hadn’t stood up for him; well, the unfairness was beyond what he could bear. The betrayal by his family made him want to hit out at someone.

Dave had thought he’d dealt with all those emotions years ago. Clearly he hadn’t, because he’d been unprepared for how he’d felt. That had made him angry with himself on a different level.

‘You behaved like a spoilt child most of the time. At dinner, you’d sit there with your arms crossed, not inviting conversation. I’m surprised they put up with you for as long as they did.’ She paused. ‘Your family are lovely, Dave. Especially your mum. I can see so many similarities between you and her.’

‘I’m nothing like her.’ The words came out before he could stop them.

‘You are,’ Kim insisted. ‘You’re both kind and thoughtful. Loving. She listens the way you do. She communicates the way you do. And Dean, he’s similar. He tried to talk to you so many times while we were there, and you wouldn’t talk back. You kept the conversation on impersonal issues—the weather, the news. Things that didn’t matter, when he was trying to fix something that did. I really think you need some counselling.’

‘I’d never not back a child of mine. Even when their mother and I divorced, I backed Bec and Alice to the hilt. If they needed me, I was there.’ Dave stared at her, wondering why she couldn’t understand. ‘And you can shove the idea of counselling. The best therapy I’ve ever had is at the elbows of my workmates, at a bar. They understand.’