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Bill-E iain, loses that faraway look in his eyes, stops s Juni’s praises whenever we meet Tells me how closely she listens, how she understands hiht moments

"I never saw her in action in Slawter," he says as we trundle out of school, Thursday afternoon "I didn’t realise how cool she was I thought it would be weeks, ain But look at rins widely "She’s a htly strained, ridiculously jealous I’ve seen Juni every day but our sessions have been brief She’s spending far more time with Bill-E than me, and e s thanto her," Bill-E gushes "She’s like" He stops We’re about to turn a corner There’s a traainst the wall, head low, face hidden by a bushy beard and straggly hair Bill-E reaches into his right pocket, then his left Finds some coins and holds them out The tramp doesn’t respond i up Bill-E drops the coins into the tramp’s hand and ss and moves on

"Where was I?" he asks

"Discussing the runt

"Oh yes!" And he’s off again, Juni this, Miss Swan that I want to snap at hi me mad with his fanboy drivel But that would be cruel and childish ofit because I envy the hours and confidences they share

Friday I try getting Juni to take more of an interest in me I tell her about my parents and Gret, what my emotions hen they werein Slawter I run her through a few of htmares I expect her to jump at this fresh information and pu

"That’s ancient history," she says "I don’t think it’s relevant now"

"But I thought it was all linked," I splutter "The past the present that what I felt then influences what I feel now"

"Of course," she says "But I believe you’ve dealt with the past adequately Your night tension and confronting your fears I see no reason to reopen old wounds Don’t you agree?" She waits, one eyebrow raised

I shift aardly in

"It’s not a contest, Grubbs," Juni says quietly I stare at her uncertainly "My tiht with Bill-E for My relationship with Bill-E in school is the same as with you-purely professional I spend more time with him because he needs me more There are others who need me too I’veLoch’s sister, Reni, at her home"

"You’ve met Reni?" I ask, startled

Juni nods "Like I told you on Monday, I’m not an ordinary school counsellor My work takesdreadfully But she’s coping She’ll be back at school next week And when she co time with her here Which means I’ll have even less time for you That can’t be an issue"

"Of course it isn’t I never I didn’t"

"It’s all right," she se"

"I’m not jealous," I huff

"Maybe not But if you are, it’s OK We can’t help irrational feelings The is and not allow them to fester I don’t want a rift to develop between you and Billy"

"I don’t knohat you’re-"

"Grubbs," she interrupts, "I’ blunt because I respect you This is how I’d address an adult If you want, I can treat you like a child and tiptoe around these issues But if-"

"OK," I cut in, angry but cool "It’s no big deal I understand I can keep a handle on my" I scowl, then spit it out "My jealousy"

"I’ht hand "Noe have that out of the way, let’s talk some more about Billy and what you, as his best friend, can do to help hi about what Juni said She saw through lass and knew exactly how to deal with ue to Misery Mauch Every school should have a counsellor like Juni Swan, someone who can really connect with-

A man steps out in front of me and I almost crash into him I have to take a quick step back It’s a tra in the middle of the narrow path that leads fro at me with small, dark eyes Very hairy Smells bad Dressed in shabby clothes which are thirty or forty years out of date Wears a small posy of flowers in one of his upper button holes-they look ridiculously out of place

"Excuse e my way around him He doesn’t react I take a ht, flanked by trees My warning senses kick in I prepare to run or fight if needs dictate But the tra nothing, hands by his sides, eyes steady

"Could you?" I htly But still he doesn’t budge Sighing, I step off to the side, tra down a patch of nettles I wave sarcastically at the clear path The tra ain and head for home I’ve taken no more than five or six steps when I reaveif it’s the san of him He must have slipped back into the forest It’s like he disappeared

Ho with a complicated cheratefully close lad of the excuse for a break

It’s Juni

"Hello, Grubbs," she says nervously "Is your uncle in?"

"Yeah But uht you didn’t want to see hihs thinly "Then, ona left instead of a right and I ended up here" She shrugs "I guess the part ofdecisions thinks it’s time"

"Do you want o find him yourself?"

"Call him, please It would be esture for Juni to enter "May I take your coat?" I ask as she steps inside

"Thank you" She takes it off and passes it tohold of her hand and giving it a friendly squeeze, but before I can Dervish co down the stairs from his study

"There’s no need to roar," Dervish grumbles "I’m not deaf I can"

He sees Juni Comes to a complete halt, left foot in mid-air His jaly, comically drops

"Hello, Dervish," Juni says, waving aardly "I’m back"

And they blink at each other like a pair of startled owls

Two hours later Dervish and Juni have spent the time shut inside the TV room I’ve been in the kitchen, where I’m still stuck on the sa hard Most of hts have been devoted to Dervish and Juni, and the things they

Part of me wants to creep to the door and eavesdrop, but that would be sneaky and unfair I’d hate if so to do it to them

About half an hour after that, when Juni’s gone to the toilet, Dervish pops into the kitchen He sticks the kettle on, prepares two rinning softly "You should have told er in his tone

"She asked me not to," I reply

"I know, but" He chuckles "No It doesn’t matter Maybe it was better this way The shock was nice I’lad I didn’t fall down the stairs and break my neck" He focuses onany of the confidential details Said you’re doing great, all things considered She thinks you’re a marvel Said if everyone had your powers of recovery, she’d be out of a job"

I shrug like it’s no big thing, but the compliment tickles hs "I knew Loch’s death hit hiht, after Slawter, he’d be prepared for death He sees, that his reaction now reflects a delayed response to what happened then"

"She’s the expert, I guess"

Dervish nods slowly, then says, "Billy told her I was his father"

"Oh?" Bill-E doesn’t know that his mother had an affair with my father, that I’m his half-brother, that Dervish is his uncle He thinks Dervish is his dad