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She touched hies and shoves which were never supposed to o on then, or, occasionally, are you okay? No estures But he felt the soft pressure of those touches for hours afterwards, like pale bruises, and he started to want to feel theain

It was nobody's fault It was just so that happened

She asked him how Eleanor was, still, and these conversations seeether They ood friends would have He could say it was good for a long time after Kate was born but now she's started at school I think Eleanor doesn't knohat to do with herself, I think she's just exhausted, and Anna could say oh David I'm sure she'll be better soon, as any friend would do It was only talking, what they were doing He could even say well I' on the sofa now you know, just for the moment, she says she can't sleep when I'o near her, she's so withdrawn, and Anna could say oh it must be hard for you David, and this could be okay as well

It was nothing There was nothing going on He told himself this, many times He asked hi he could think of, and this proved to hi on at all

But she told hiht She said, I like you David, you know that, don't you? She said you're so, I don't know, dependable, reliable, no, that sounds wrong, solid, Iin your oay, oh listen toall this while he stood looking at her, ht in a fist-like knot in his throat And she tried again: I like it when you're around, that's all, okay? Laying her hands on his shoulders when she said this, looking straight into his eyes, and onlyahen they both heard footsteps out in the corridor

He was putting dinner on the table one Friday night when Eleanor said soazed down at her plate as she spoke, her hands flat on the table in front of her She was still wearing her dressing gown, and her hair was hanging down around the sides of her face Kate

looked up at hi to be told she could start He sat down, the oven gloves still flung over his shoulder, and nodded at her

Oh? he said, to Eleanor, only half interested, watching Kate scoop her peas into a crater of mashed potato

Her name was Anna She wanted to speak to you but I told her you weren't in, Eleanor said Her voice wasn't quiet, but it sounded distant so next to him at all

Oh, right, he said So about work probably I'll speak to her on Monday, I' two halves of fish finger together with aher mother curiously

Did you have a good day at school? he asked She thought about it for a moment

Yes! she said But Robin got in trouble, for breaking my pencil, because he did it when I was on the sand table, she said

Did Mrs Ellson give you a new one? he asked She nodded

He glanced across at Eleanor again She was eating very slowly, pushing s to see that they were safe But she was eating He wanted to push her hair away from her face and be able to look her in the eye He wanted to be able to ask how her day had been

Kate put down her knife and fork and asked if she could go and play He told her she could Eleanor looked up