Page 80 of The Good Boy

“Where is this groove?” Rory asks before it dawns on him. “There’s not a literal groove, is there?”

“No, it’s a metaphor. Youarelearning!” I say “Then all this business with the wish happened.

“I need to face up to the big stuff, the really hard stuff,” I say. “And then get back to the person I was meant to me, the person I am. But I’m scared, and I’m going to need you. And Kelly.”

“I will help you be brave,” Rory says, turning an ominous shade of green. “Out of interest, what are the rules about eating your own vomit when you’re human?”

Mum is surprised and happy to see us as she opens the front door, and then full of giggles as she is immediately engulfed in a huge hug from Rory.

“Granny Rita,” he tells her. “I got drunk—it was horrible! I think biscuits will help, though.”

“What you need,” Kelly says, “is some hair of the dog.”

“Tell me about it,” Rory says.

I picked Kelly up on the way, waving at her kids as they watched us through the window.

“Thanks for this,” I said. “How are things?”

“Better.” She nodded. “Like, hard. It’s going to be a long road. But now that I know what’s wrong, I can help him and we’ll get through this together.” She twisted in the seat to look at Rory. “Fred’s Man Club keeps asking when you are going back, Roar.”

“I’ll go back when I’m a dog,” Rory said.

“Genie.” Mum now looks at me in horror as we follow her to the kitchen. “What were you thinking? Getting your dog drunk! You ought to know better at your age.”

“You’d think that, and yet results show that I gain zero wisdom over the years,” I say. “Anyway, let’s call it aversion therapy—he won’t do it again in a hurry.”

“You poor love,” Mum says, planting a kiss on Rory’s cheek as she hands him a packet of Hobnobs. “You have as many as you need, and Granny Rita will make you a hot chocolate too.”

“Yes, please, thank you, please,” Rory says.

“Might I and Kelly get a cup of tea?” I ask her.

“Yes, though you don’t deserve it,” she says. “Not you, Kelly, you can have two sugars and a Kit Kat.”

She tilts her head.

“You look nice in green,” she says.

“You bought me this dress,” I remind her.

“I know,” she says. “It’s nice to see you wear it. I suppose you can have a Kit Kat too. Nanna says you’ve been drawing again. That you are really making some positive changes. I’m so pleased for you, darling.”

“Well, I’m trying, actually,” I say. “I’ve realized...”

“Yes?” Mum prompts me.

“That maybe...”

“Go on,” Mum says.

“I have...”

“You have...?”

“Issues she needs to address,” Kelly adds, putting her arm around my waist. “It’s taken a lot for her to come here today, Rita.”

“Really?” Mum looks at me keenly.

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