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Twisted off the bath taps and went to find Pete.
    He was on the computer. She sat down behind him, on the arm of the couch. ‘Pete.’
    â€˜Mm?’
    â€˜Doug doesn’t need to turn up so early in the mornings.’
    â€˜I think he likes to.’
    â€˜Yeah, I know. But …’ She was trying to speak slowly, to keep it a normal conversation. ‘If he doesn’t actually start until eight-thirty or nine, he doesn’t really need to turn up at seven, does he?’
    Pete tapped something on the keyboard. ‘No. But I think he likes to. I think he’s staying somewhere pretty miserable — some friend of a friend’s place. He calls it a bungalow, but it sounds like it’s pretty much a glorified shed. It’s probably freezing.’
    â€˜Really?’ She pulled her arms around herself. She got a glimpse again of that boy running, his clear, undamaged face. ‘Poor guy. That sounds terrible.’ She stood up. ‘Still, though,’ she said. ‘It kind of makes it hard for me, having him hanging around. This morning I had to stop him from taking Louie out to the workshop.’
    â€˜Really?’ He tapped the keys again, resettled his hand on the mouse.
    She refolded her arms. ‘I know you’re in the middle of something, but I feel like we should talk about this.’ Her voice was creeping upwards, getting thin. ‘Before … well, before he’s back again in the morning and I have to deal with it all again.’
    Pete turned to her. ‘He’s harmless, Bonnie. He’s great with the kids. They love him. And so what if he comes a bit early? We’re up, aren’t we?’
    â€˜What, so you’re okay with him taking them out to the workshop? Without you?’ She tried to bring her voice back down. ‘Because I’m not. It’s not safe out there, there’s dangerous stuff, and I don’t think the kids should be in there with anybody other than you or me.’
    There was a pause. ‘Fair enough,’ he said. ‘You’re right.’
    Another pause. ‘Well, thanks. Good.’ Bonnie felt out of breath. She glanced down at the rug. It needed vacuuming. Just leave it now , she thought. But she couldn’t help going on. ‘So … um, will you, you know … say something to him then?’
    He turned back to the computer. She heard him puff out his cheeks, as if dealing with a pestering child. ‘Okay.’
    She stood behind him, watching him move the mouse, the line of his shoulders. Leave him alone . But still she kept talking. ‘Well, I hope you will, Pete, because I think this is important.’
    â€˜Look, Bon.’ He turned again, his voice louder this time, and short. ‘I’ll try, okay? But it’s not easy — he’s fragile, you know? I don’t want to upset him.’
    â€˜Upset him?’ The anger came rushing, ready. ‘Upset him ?’ Her voice was stretched, strained. ‘He’s working for you, Pete. You’ve got to be clear about where the two of you — where all of us — stand. I mean we can’t be held to ransom by this person who turns up at our house whenever he feels like it to take our kids off to play with the bloody saws and helps himself to beer from the fridge because we’re worried that we might upset him if we — I don’t know — demand a bit of respect?’ A faltering laugh broke from her lips. ‘I mean, can’t you see how ridiculous this situation is?’
    Pete didn’t move. His hands lay in his lap.
    â€˜Can’t you?’ She tried to unfold herself, open her arms and reach to him, but she was stuck there, unbending, a pillar.
    â€˜I’ve got to do these emails.’ Pete went back to the screen.
    In the bath Bonnie looked down at her body. Heavy breasts half afloat. The slack flesh of her thighs. The rack of her hips. Her stomach with its web of