‘They’re not my friends, Mom. And if I have to host this meeting, I want Rick there.’

For a moment there was silence behind me. Then the Mother said: ‘Okay. We can certainly do that.’

‘But you think it’s a bad idea, right?’

‘No. Not at all. Rick is a very good person. And he’s our neighbor.’

‘So he’s coming, right?’

‘Only if he wants to come. It has to be his choice.’

‘So you think the other kids will be rude to him?’

There was another wait before the Mother said: ‘I don’t see why they would be. If someone does behave inappropriately, that’ll only show how far behind they are.’

‘So no reason Rick can’t come.’

‘The only reason, Josie, is if he doesn’t want to.’

Later on in the bedroom, when it was just the two of us, and Josie was lying in bed ready to go to sleep, she said quietly:

‘I hope Rick does come to this awful party.’

Despite the lateness, I was pleased she’d brought up the interaction meeting, because I was uncertain about many aspects of it.

‘Yes, I hope so too,’ I said. ‘Will the other young people bring their AFs?’

‘Uh uh. Not the done thing. But the AF who lives in the house usually attends. Especially if they’re new like you. They’ll all want to inspect you.’

‘So Josie would wish me to be present.’

‘Sure I want you to be present. It might not be so great for you though. These meetings stink and that’s the truth.’

* * *

—

On the morning of the interaction meeting, Josie was filled with anxiety. She returned to the bedroom after breakfast to try on different clothes, and even when we could hear her guests arriving, and Melania Housekeeper had called up a third time, she continued brushing her hair. Finally, with many voices audible downstairs, I said to her, ‘Perhaps it’s time for us to join Josie’s guests.’

Only then did she drop the hairbrush onto the dressing table and rise to her feet. ‘You’re right. Time to face the music.’

Coming down the staircase, I saw the hall was filled with strangers talking in humorous voices. These were the accompanying adults – all of them female. Younger voices were coming from the Open Plan but the sliding doors had been pulled together, so Josie’s guests weren’t yet visible to us.

Josie, on the stairs in front of me, stopped with four steps to go. She might even have turned back if one of the adults hadn’t called out, ‘Hi, Josie! How you doing?’

Josie raised a hand, and then the Mother, moving through the adults in the hall, gestured towards the Open Plan. ‘Go on in,’ she called. ‘Your friends are waiting for you.’

I thought the Mother was about to say something further to reinforce this, but other adults had gathered around her, talking and smiling, and she was obliged to turn away from us. Josie did seem to find new courage then, and she went down the remaining steps into the crowd. I followed, expecting her to go towards the Open Plan, but instead she went through the adults towards the front door, which was open and bringing in fresh air. Josie kept moving as though she had a clear purpose, and a passer-by might have thought she was engaged on some important errand on behalf of her guests. In any case, no one impeded her, and as I followed, I heard many voices around me. Someone was saying, ‘Professor Kwan may be wonderful at teaching our children mathematical physics. That doesn’t give him the right to be uncivil to us,’ and another voice said, ‘Europe. The best housekeepers still come from Europe.’ More voices greeted Josie as she passed, and then we were at the front door, touched by the outside air.

Josie looked out, her foot on the threshold, and shouted into the outdoors: ‘Come on! What are you doing?’ Then she grasped the doorframe and leaned out at an angle. ‘Hurry up! Everyone’s already here!’

Rick appeared in the doorway, and Josie, taking his arm, drew him into the hall.

He was dressed as he’d been on the grass mound, in normal jeans and sweater, but the adults seemed immediately to notice him. Their voices didn’t actually stop, but the volume fell. Then the Mother came through the crowd.

‘Rick, hello! Welcome! Come on in.’ She placed a hand behind him, ushering him towards the guest adults. ‘Everyone, this is Rick. Our good friend and neighbor. Some of you already know him.’

‘How are you, Rick?’ a woman nearby said. ‘Great you could make it.’

Then the adults began to greet Rick all at once, calling out kind things, but I noticed a strange caution in their voices. The Mother, speaking above them, asked:

‘So Rick. Is your mother keeping well? It’s been a while since she came over.’

‘She’s fine, thank you, Mrs Arthur.’

As Rick spoke, the room became quiet. A tall woman behind me asked: ‘Did I hear you lived nearby, Rick?’

Rick’s gaze moved across the faces to locate the speaker’s.

‘Yes, ma’am. In fact, ours is the only house you can see if you step outside.’ Then he did a small laugh and added: ‘Aside from this one, I mean.’

Everyone laughed loudly at his addition, and Josie, beside him, smiled nervously as if she’d made the remark herself. Another voice said:

‘A lot of clean air out here. Good place to grow up, I bet.’

‘It’s just fine, thank you,’ Rick said. ‘That is until you need a fast pizza delivery.’

Everyone laughed even more loudly, and this time Josie joined in, beaming happily.

‘Go ahead, Josie,’ the Mother said. ‘Take Rick in. You should be hosting all your other guests too. Go on in now.’

The adults stood back, and Josie, still holding Rick’s arm, led him towards the Open Plan. Neither of them looked at me, so I was unsure if I should follow. And then they were gone, the adults once more filling the hall, and I was left standing near the front door. A new voice nearby said:

‘Nice boy. Lives next door did he say? I couldn’t hear.’

‘Rick’s a neighbor, yes,’ the Mother said. ‘He’s been friends with Josie forever.’

‘That’s wonderful.’

Then a large woman whose shape resembled the food blending machine said: ‘Seems so bright too. Such a shame a boy like that should have missed out.’

‘I wouldn’t even have known,’ another voice said. ‘He presents himself so well. Is that a British accent he has?’