The mother was startled to see a stranger in the living room and she hugged her arms defensively across her chest.

Ruby jumped in. ‘This is the doctor, Mum. Because of Jye’s earache.’

‘Oh right. Sorry … I didn’t realise—uh, hi. I’m Nicole. Jye and Ruby’s mum.’

‘Hi, Nicole. Paula Kaczmarek. Good to meet you.’

‘Thanks for coming. Sorry I wasn’t up when you got here. I’m feeling a bit crook.’

‘No worries,’ Paula assured her.

‘Do you want a cup of tea, Mum?’ Ruby asked.

‘No, honey, thank you. Oh, unless the doctor wants one?’

‘I’m fine, thanks.’

Nicole went over to kiss Jye on the top of the head, asking him how he was feeling, making a fuss of him. Then she raised her arms to smooth down her bed-matted hair and the sleeves of the shirt fell back.

Paula could see bruises on the pale skin of Nicole’s arms. Nicole quickly tugged the sleeves back down, realising the bruises had been seen. Paula froze for a moment—not wanting to jump to conclusions, not wanting to interfere and cause problems for these people, not wanting to overstep the new boundaries she’d established for herself.

‘Nicole, would it be possible for you to bring Jye into the medical practice in town on Monday?’ Paula asked.

‘Oh, um, yeah. I’m sure I can get the car or, y’know, I could get my—’

‘He’s back,’ Ruby interrupted, going to the front window. ‘Earlier than he said.’

The girl had heard the sound of the gears grinding down on her stepfather’s ute as it laboured up the driveway towards the house. Paula saw Nicole instantly shrink into herself, folding her arms around her torso again, as she listened to her husband slam the door of his ute and stomp up the steps.

Before he even reached the door, he demanded, ‘Whose car is that?’

Seeing Paula standing in the living room, he flicked his chin up, belligerent. ‘Hello?’

The guy was in his mid-forties, short but powerful-looking, with a solid chest like a keg of beer, shaved head, a tattoo of a fist emerging from flames that spread across his chunky neck.

His clothes were smeared with black grease, which made the fresh gash on his forehead stand out, bright red and glistening.

‘That’s my car,’ Paula said, stepping forward with an instinct to place herself between this man and Nicole and her kids. ‘I’m Paula Kaczmarek. Doctor from town. I’m here to see Jye, Mr … ?’

‘Curtis Wigney.’ Then he aimed his bullety head at Nicole. ‘Rang for a doctor to come up here, did ya?’

‘No,’ responded Nicole, barely audible.

Ruby jumped in quickly. ‘Me. I did. For Jye’s ear. All good now.’

‘Yeah? You all good now, little mate?’

Jye didn’t answer.

‘Beg yours? I asked you a question, Jye.’