Unsuitable

“No, your eyes are sad.”

“Ah Flip, it’s okay to be sad sometimes.”

“But I don’t want you to be. It’s about that night we babysat, isn’t it. Audrey got scared.”

He nodded and she’d have felt it, she lay half across him, her head on his shoulder.

“But you saved her from being attacked.”

“I scared her while I did it.”

“That’s not fair. I could talk to her; tell her how you’re not mean and nasty. Like when we went to your interview.”

“It’s a bit more serious than that.” He tangled his hand in her hair, halfway down her back and full of knots she never brushed out.

“Oh. So how can I help?”

Etta was his nemesis, Neev his sparring partner, Gin his conscience, but Flip was the timing device in his heart. “You’re already helping.”

“No I’m not. Don’t rumour me.”

He smiled. “Humour you.”

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“Give me a hug, Flipper, that will make me feel better.”

She wrapped her flyweight arms around him and Reece gave her a happy groan and hugged her heavyweight to make her squirm.

“Pippa, bed.”

He let go at Charlie’s words and Flip sprung away and raced past Mum for her bedroom.

“Are you all right there, Reece? Warm enough?”

She was backlit by the light in the hall. “Yeah, Charlie.”

There was a pause and then she said softly, “What do you remember about Bruce?”

The memory came clear. It was more than Wrestlemania. “He taught me to fight.”

“He did.” Mum’s body sagged. “I’m so glad you

remember that. We knew you’d get big and he knew you’d get picked on for being gentle. He wanted you to be prepared. I thought you only remembered being angry with Bruce because he died. You idolised him at first. You followed him everywhere and he tried hard to teach you how to be a good man. I see him in you every day. The part of you that knows how to make people feel safe, that’s Bruce. If Audrey can’t love you for who you are, you’re better off without her.”

Reece groaned. “Now I remember why I come home, so you can all pick on me.”

“We love you.”

Charlie did that singsong, like Neeva would’ve. That’s where the smartarse in Neev came from. He grinned at the ceiling. “This much love a fella could rust.”

“Goodnight, my baby boy.”

“Gawd. Night, Charlie.”

The light went out, but he had to know. “Mum.” He heard her come back down the hall. “How did you do it?”

“Do what?”