‘Been much too hot for weeks now,’ she said, as he lifted her skirt. She closed her eyes and gripped his collar.

A kookaburra cackled throatily from the back of the yard and then fell silent.

‘Get the fuck out of my house.’

Steve stood in the kitchen doorway with a shopping bag in each hand. His skin was slick with sweat, the hair on his arms darkened with moisture. He was gripping the bags as if they weighed five tons each.

‘Jesus.’ Joe stood up. ‘Jesus, Steve, I didn’t hear you come in. I didn’t know you were there. I didn’t think—’

Steve dropped the shopping. A child’s dummy fell from one of the bags and rolled across the lino. Mandy hurriedly buttoned her blouse, pulled her skirt down. She was angry before she was shocked or ashamed. She resented Steve for intruding on this moment. She met his gaze and let him see the remains of her desire, her defiance.

‘Don’t just stand there,’ she said to Joe. He gaped back at her. ‘For God’s sake, go home!’

Steve strode towards Joe, who had backed his way almost to the door, and thrust the palm of his hand into Joe’s chest. ‘On second thoughts, mate, how about you stay right where you are, and I send you straight through the wall. How about that? How’s that sound?’

‘Steve, look, I’m sorry.’ Joe stepped closer to the door. ‘I’ve been in a bad way lately. It’s no excuse, I know that.’

‘You’ve been in a bad way?’ Steve threw Joe against the door, which slammed shut behind him. ‘Pardon me if my heart isn’t breaking, mate. Pardon me if I’m not surprised you can’t hold onto your own wife.’

Mandy stepped around the kitchen table, reaching for Steve. She felt dirty, now the pleasure had left her. She was horrified at what he’d seen.

‘Steve. Why don’t we—?’

‘Shut up, Mandy!’ Steve held his hand up to silence her. ‘Keep your whoring mouth shut and don’t come near me until I tell you to.’

Mandy stood still. She hadn’t known Steve was capable of speaking to her that way. She didn’t recognise him. She’d altered him, she’d sent everything bad.

‘Did you think you’d cheer yourself up by creeping round here?’ He slammed his palms into Joe’s chest again. The glass shook in the door behind him. ‘Is that what you thought? Get her feeling sorry for you and see how long it takes before she lets you lift her skirt? How long did it take? An hour? Ten minutes? Five?’

‘Like I said, it’s no excuse.’ Joe leaned away from Steve, holding his bandaged hand up. ‘I can’t defend it.’

‘How about I fix your face so she doesn’t like the look of you so much.’ He grabbed Joe by his shirt and flung him backwards with greater force than before. ‘How about that?’

‘Do what you like to my face.’ Joe looked down at Steve, who was panting and fuming, his face barely level with Joe’s shoulder. ‘I deserve it. Go ahead.’