He wasn’t sure he could remember the last time his father had even looked at him. Nowadays he always seemed to be at work. Even in the evenings he was at meetings or with people from his office. He never talked about his job. But then, he never talked to Max much at all, other than to criticize him for one thing or another.

So days like these, times with his best friends, they were the most precious things that Max had – or could ever want.

‘Come on, Triple Trouble,’ Leo’s father said as they filed out of the carriage together, with a wink to show he didn’t really think they were trouble. Max smiled. He liked it when Mr Grunberg made jokey comments. His father never made jokes. Since he’d started his new job he had become obsessed with efficiency and discipline. He once told Max that jokes were a waste of important time, only indulged in by people with nothing better to do.

Mr Grunberg believed the opposite, Max could tell. He was like an always-full happiness machine that gave out laughter tokens to anyone who passed by.

‘Ah!’ The lady Mr Grunberg had been talking to clasped a hand over her mouth. She said something in English and pointed at her watch.

‘Everything all right?’ Leo’s father asked.

‘We miss meeting!’

‘What meeting was that?’ Mr Grunberg asked.

‘We plan to catch tram after big wheel. Go to talk,’ she replied. ‘Too much fun, so we forget about it!’

‘What’s the talk?’ Mr Grunberg asked.

‘Um. It’s difficult in German. About tooth,’ the man said, pointing at his mouth.

‘Mr Stewart is dentist,’ the lady added. ‘Talk is about – what is the word?’ She pointed under her teeth.

‘Gums?’ Mr Grunberg suggested.

‘Yes. Bad gum.’

‘Gum disease?’

‘That’s right,’ the man said.

‘Oh. Well, that does sound exciting!’ Leo’s father said before turning round to the children and pulling a face that made them laugh. Max laughed the hardest. He loved the way Mr Grunberg made them all feel included, as though they were all part of the same gang. He couldn’t get enough of that feeling.

‘Maybe we will be in time for end of talk…’ the woman said, raising an eyebrow at her husband.

‘Or maybe we miss the talk and stay at the fairground,’ the man replied.

His wife clapped her hands. ‘Wonderful idea!’ she said. ‘Yes!’

‘Well, now that’s settled, you must stay with us a bit longer,’ Mr Grunberg said. ‘And maybe you could come home with us after we’ve all had enough of the fair.’

The couple stared at him. ‘Home with you?’

Mr Grunberg leaned in as though he were sharing a state secret. ‘You have not experienced the real Vienna until you have tasted my wife’s Sachertorte,’ he said. ‘Leo, you don’t mind sharing your birthday cake with two more guests, do you?’