“Have you been drinking?”

The answer came with the tsk of a can being opened. “How do people do this? How do they live in abusive relationships, for years? How can that even be possible?”

“Scott–”

“I can’t imagine what it does to a person. Or I can. I can and I can’t. I’m not and I am. Fuck me.”

“Scott…”

“The chunks it takes out of you. And the craziest part…” He paused, sipping audibly on his can. “The sickest part is thinking, right, when this is all over, when she’s gone, am I going to be able to put myself back together again? And this is after three weeks.”

“You don’t have to be embarrassed. The timescale doesn’t matter. You’re going through hell.”

“I asked her if she was Natalie’s girlfriend.”

“What did she say?”

More glugging, then he laughed bitterly. “Riddles. Nothing. Just like usual.”

“I want to see you. But I don’t want to put you in a bad position.”

“Forget about me. That’s the best thing you can do.”

“That’s the drink talking.”

“Hmm.”

Gary stood and paced the garden. The security light switched on and Kiki, their Chihuahua-Jack Russell cross, came bounding out of the doggie door. The black-and-tan dog waggled her tail as she ran in mad circles, grinning up at Gary.

Gary knelt, softly stroking the dog behind the ears. “Scott, mate, you need to remember who the fuck you are.”

“Not this again–”

“Yes, this again. You’re a tough bastard. That’s who you are. You’re the bloke who saved my life. You’re strong and loyal and good. Don’t you dare start losing hope on me.”

“I’m not as brave as you think I am,” Scott said.

“You are. I saw it.”

“Anybody would’ve done that.”

“No, they wouldn’t have.” Gary stood when Kiki bounded away, cocking her leg on the trampoline’s base. “Can I come by the school tomorrow? I’m guessing visiting your house is off-limits. Or the pub?”

“I can’t come to the pub,” he said matter-of-factly. That hurt, how Scott seemed to have accepted his fate.

“School, then. We can strategise about what steps to take next. Or we can just talk for a while.”

“You have to check the school isn’t being watched,” Scott said. “She sometimes visits, spies on me in the classroom. It’s gotten me into trouble before.”

Into trouble. Like he was a kid. Gary wanted to scream.

“I’ll check. I’ll double- and triple-check. All right, Scott? I’ll see you tomorrow? I’ll come by at lunchtime.”

Scott sniffled. “Okay. Yeah. It’d be nice to see you.”

“I’m here for you. I’m always here for you. No matter what.”

“I know.”

Gary tried for a laugh. “I guess you didn’t see the game last night?”

“No.”

“Bloody nightmare, mate. Nightmare.”

Scott tried for a laugh too, but they were both faking it. They couldn’t speak about anything regular when this was going on. Scott took another long sip from his can, and then there was the crunch as he crushed it. A moment later, there was a tsk.