‘We were the hottest couple in town,’ Mum said. ‘Couldn’t get enough of each other—you know how it is when you’re young.’

It would’ve been good to see Dad with all those muscles, Max thought.

‘You two had a lot going for you,’ Trudi said. ‘Can you use that to make it work now? Kids need a father.’

‘It’s been a while since I felt good about Shane.’

‘Find something you like doing together. Maybe go out to dinner.’

‘Can’t afford it.’ Mum sounded sad. ‘We’re up to our necks. Life’s not cheap when you have kids.’

Trudi went quiet.

Mum said, ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.’

Max wasn’t sure what she was sorry for. Then Trudi said, ‘That’s okay. Just forget it.’

Mum was quiet for a bit too, and Max thought he’d better get back to bed in case Trudi was about to go home. He didn’t want them to find him, because Mum would go off. His bum was cold anyway, from sitting on the floor.

In bed, he lay there thinking about Mum and Dad playing pool at the pub, and Dad brushing up against Mum. Who’d have thought that would make Mum like him? It must have been all his muscles.

Next day, Max was on his PlayStation when he heard Dad’s ute pull up outside. The door banged then Dad tramped through to the kitchen with a bunch of flowers. Max saw him pick Mum up and give her a bearhug. Mum squealed. Then she and Dad laughed and kissed.

That was it. Dad was home.

Max wasn’t sure whether it was good or bad having him back. Dad seemed happy—it must be better than sleeping on Lily Moon’s couch. And Dad and Mum seemed to be getting on, for once. But every time Max looked at Dad, he still thought of the pups.

Rosie didn’t seem upset anymore. In the morning she followed Dad to the ute and jumped on the tray, and he hooked her up to the chain. One good thing had happened while Dad was away: he’d had a chain fitted to the ute so Rosie wouldn’t fall off. But Robbo’s dog went to the forest every day too. Wasn’t that how Rosie got pregnant last time? Max remembered Leon saying there was a way to stop dogs having pups.

After school Max went over to play with Bonnie and wait for Leon, who didn’t come home till nearly six o’clock. By then Max was hungry. Leon brought out a bowl of dog food for Bonnie and a packet of Savoury Shapes to share with Max. They sat on stumps of firewood and ate while Bonnie scoffed down her food. Then they kicked an old chewed-up footy for the pup to chase on the lawn in the semi-darkness.