I jump up to follow him. Given that Bridge and Ellie are probably no longer talking to me because I skipped netball training without telling them, I’m not letting Matt out of my sight.

Chapter 14

When Dad and I first moved to the flat last year, we spent a couple of weekends out the back in the courtyard, trying to grow some plants. For Dad it was all about getting his hands dirty and grounding himself, but for me it was a way to hang out with him. I didn’t think I’d inherited his gardening gene, until I started helping out at Dad’s work. Discovering the Separation Tree changed everything for me. It was the first time I fully understood that trees are not generic, that each one is special. Particularly the Separation Tree.

‘Hello, Clem,’ says Maggie as I walk into the courtyard.

Maggie has a large cane basket with her, and her hair is wild and flowing. She’s taking down her clean washing. Knowing that I’ll help, she hands me a towel and I start folding it. I love that about Maggie; she always finds something for me to do and treats me like I’m older.

I fold one towel and then another. We work quietly until we’ve finished the towels and then we start on the sheets.

‘How’s high school going?’

‘Okay.’

I fold a sheet as neatly as I can, but Maggie has to step in and help. ‘You take one end,’ she says.

Together we fold the sheet so perfectly it looks like it could be slipped into a packet and resold. She smooths her hand over the top and adds it to the pile in the basket.

‘Don’t think I should let you help with Matt’s underpants. Do you?’

I laugh and sit down on the brick edge near the flowering succulent while she unpegs the undies.

‘Thanks for hanging out with Matt. He cooked me dinner the other night. Burnt sausages and raw potato. Delicious,’ she says, grinning at me.

I laugh.

‘His mum’s my little sister. I used to cook her burnt sausages, too, when Dad was working.’

When she’s finished with the laundry, she sits down next to me.

‘How’s it been having your mum back?’

As Maggie talks, her fingers dip in and out of the garden, snatching up clumps of weeds.

‘Strange.’

‘Yes, I imagine it is, but I bet she’s feeling even stranger than you are.’

‘Do you think?’

Maggie looks up at me for a second before tossing the weeds into a pile on the ground. ‘I’m sure of it. It can’t be easy just moving back in, particularly when you and your dad get along so well.’

‘We haven’t been lately.’

‘And your mum probably feels responsible for that, too.’

‘As the number three?’

Maggie smiles, crinkling her eyes in the kindest way.