“Oh yes.” Rosie chuckled. “Once my boys went to Perth for high school I missed them too much. I had to overcome my fear of that road. I moved to Perth, lived there for a few years, that’s where I met my other fella, but I still wasn’t in a good place. Once the boys finished school I came back here. I was like you. Searching for some kind of purpose but I didn’t know what.

“I got a job up the road at Cape Leveque. I enjoyed that and then my sister-in-law rang me desperate for help with Gabe. He came up here and somehow between me and my mum and his uncles and cousins we helped him find the strengths inside him. Living in this place helps. It’s beautiful here but it’s also isolated and quiet. Plenty of time and space to work out who you are. I’ve made peace with my demons and I’m happy. Working with my lost boys has helped me as well as them.”

They lapsed into silence with only the thud of the music punctuating the night.

Rosie raised her eyebrows. “I don’t always have success.”

“He seems to be coming around.”

“Maybe. He’s got a long way to go. It just depends whether he can stick it. I can keep them busy, improve their life skills, but it’s the isolation that wears them down. If they learn how to deal with that it makes them stronger.”

“There’s certainly a difference in Charlie since I first met him. You’re amazing to take them on. It can’t be easy.”

“I think the same way about teachers. What a terrific job you do. I only take on one boy at a time. You have a whole class full.”

Natalie stared off into the night. “I’ve always loved teaching. Helping children to find their potential…”

“But?”

Natalie looked back at Rosie, took a breath. “It’s so much admin now. I spend less time with the children and when I’m with them I’m teaching them to standards I don’t believe in. I’ve lost faith in the system.” She stopped, took another deep breath. She’d never said that out loud before. “Once I would have fought to change it but now…I think I’m too jaded. There’s no fun in it any more. I met some retired teachers while I was in Broome. They said I’d know when the time was right to retire. Perhaps my time has come.”

“You don’t sound sure.”

“I’m not. That’s what’s so hard. I’ve built up a rapport with my class and there’re a couple of young teachers who I’ve enjoyed supporting this year but there’s a new principal and I can tell he thinks I’m old-fashioned.”