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bottom lip as though she was trying to absorb sudden pain.
    â€œOkay, that’s it!” Adam declared firmly, bolstered by the suspicion that his innate stubbornness could trump even Abbie’s steely determination. “You’re definitely not well enough to walk home. If you faint again on the way Henry won’t be able to manage—you know that. In fact, maybe I should call for an ambulance instead. You don’t …”
    â€œNo! No ambulance!” she interjected quickly and cold eyes rose up to sweep across his face like a pair of switchblades. “And no doctor. But for Henry’s sake, I’ll take a taxi home. Could you please let the manager know I’ll come back tomorrow and pay for any damage?”
    With that Abbie drew her feet underneath herself. Holding onto a nearby shelf for support, she laboriously hoisted herself upwards as though she was climbing a rope in gym class.
    â€œThere!” she declared triumphantly as she stood erect in front of him. “You see? I’m fine. You’re making a lot of fuss over nothing.”
    But then her hand was shooting out towards the nearby shelf for balance, snatching at air. In the next second he’d reacted instinctively to slip one arm around her waist and the other behind her legs, scooping her effortlessly off the ground before she could topple over again.
    â€œWoah! You’re strong!” Henry declared.
    â€œPut me down!” Abbie demanded.
    â€œOkay boys, time to take Abbie home!” Adam declared loudly, deliberately ignoring her protests. “You two hold hands and walk right next to me. And don’t even think about moving one inch from my side,” he added, concerned one of them might end up on the wrong side of the traffic outside in all the excitement of their afternoon.
    He watched on as the boys held hands obediently and Henry beamed at Pete. He was clearly thrilled his new friend was coming back to his house that day. Pete looked happy too. And Pete looking happy had been an all-too-rare event for longer than Adam cared to think about.
    It took only a few minutes to bundle a fuming Abbie and the boys into the taxi and drive the short distance to her home—just around the corner from his place. She insisted on getting out of the taxi and walking to the front door on her own. And although he was keeping an eye on her to catch her again if she fell, he was still able to take in the quaint facade of her Paddington home.
    He’d learnt from the voluble Henry during their short taxi ride that he and Abbie lived there with their Aunt Maeve—although how the three of them could squeeze into the tiny terrace in front of him he couldn’t imagine. Yet it was possible for a house to be too big. His current place was living proof of that; he and Pete were rattling around in it like pebbles in a tin can.
    â€œThank you for your help,” Abbie mumbled at him, nervily avoiding his eyes as she opened her front door and bundled herself and Henry into her narrow hallway.
    He and Pete remained on the front path. Evidently they were not about to receive an invitation inside. Knowing he would soon be given his marching orders, Adam found himself trying to snatch glimpses of the interior of her home with its warm, personal touches: inviting lounge chairs, teeming book shelves and scattered occasional tables topped with lamps, photographs and trinkets.
    Adam couldn’t help comparing it again with his own home around the corner, hastily furnished by a property relocation business. Only he didn’t really like what they’d done. It looked fashionable and sophisticated for sure, but it was incredibly austere. And he hated the enormous television they’d mounted on the wall in his lounge room. What on earth had he been thinking when he’d agreed to that?
    â€œWell, I suppose Pete and I should be heading home,” Adam offered reluctantly, and for no reason other than to fill