biscuits and the cup of tea. The little girl stares at the offerings.
Well?
Agatha says. The little girl takes the plate but ignores the tea.
Have you rung your mother?
The little girl places the plate on a nearby table and starts eating a biscuit. She won’t meet Agatha’s eyes.
Her phone’s off.
Relatives, then
. Agatha looks at the cup of tea, then sips it.
Any of those?
My aunty lives out east
, the little girl says.
Melbourne
. Agatha feels like a giant looming over her. Was she ever this small?
But Mum says we don’t need anyone else.
Oh, she did, did she! Tried your aunty?
I don’t know her number.
Don’t you have an address book?
Mum had it in her phone.
Look it up in the White Pages!
What are White Pages?
What’s her name?
Judy.
Judy what?
Aunty Judy.
Aunty Judy! From Melbourne!
Agatha turns and walks back down the pathway.
What am I supposed to do with that!
She throws one arm up in the air, the tea splashing over the edges of the cup.
The little girl runs after her.
My dad died.
Yeah, well!
Agatha turns around to face the girl.
So did mine!
She sips her tea forcefully.
When did he die?
Sixty years ago!
Mine died three months ago.
This isn’t a competition! But if it was! I’ve lived without mine for longer than you! So!
What happened at his funeral?
What kind of question is that!
Mum didn’t let me go to Dad’s funeral.
Well, that was probably the best thing for you!
Why are you yelling?
Why are you whispering!
I’m not.
Neither am I!
Agatha turns to cross the street but stops short. She stares at the house across from them. She takes another forceful sip of tea.
I live there?
The little girl nods.
But it’s . . .
Agatha can’t finish the sentence. It’s the house in the street that children would be frightened of, that adults would have scorn or pity for. She turns back to the girl.
You’re sure I live there?
The girl nods again.
Can you help me find my mum?
she says.
Of course not!
Agatha says.
I have things to do! I’m very busy! Go to the police!
I can’t. They want to give me a new mum and a new dad.
Go back inside!
Agatha yells, striding toward her house.
Keep trying your mother!
6:16: Sits in the Chair of Disengagement. Drinks a mug of Bonox and watches television static.
6:24: The television static begins to look like the little girl’s face.
6:25: Pours the remainder of her Bonox down the sink.
6:26: Removes all her clothes.
Shoes. Blouse. Stockings.
And hangs them up.
6:31: Sits in the Chair of Disbelief and stares at herself in the mirror.
6:33: Her face becomes the little girl’s face. She accidentallyknocks the portable clock off the bathroom bench and it smashes on the tiles.
6:33 to 6:45: Stares at the smashed clock.
6:46: Puts on her nightgown and turns off the light.
and the next day
5 :36 P . M . : Agatha knocks on the little girl’s front door and hands her a plate piled with roast meat, potatoes, broccoli, and gravy.
Thank you
, the little girl says, and begins to eat from the plate with her fingers while standing.
What are you doing!
What do you mean?
the little girl says, face already covered in gravy.
You should be outside! Playing! You’re just a child! Don’t sit at the window!
You do that.
But I’m old! I’m allowed to do that! I’m allowed to do whatever I want! That’s what happens when you get old! Write that down! It’s important!
I’m hiding.
From who?
Helen. Stan. My new mum and dad. The police.
Agatha stares at her.
What did you do?
I don’t know,
the little girl says, and starts to cry.
8:12: Agatha puts on her nightgown and turns off the light. As she’s climbing into bed, she trips over something soft. She turns on the light.
8:13: She has kicked her husband’s slippers across the room.
8:14: Agatha turns on the bathroom light and looks at herself in the mirror. She starts feeling it again. That thing rising up her throat.
She’s talking me into it!
she yells.
and the day after that
6 :00
Well?
Agatha says. The little girl takes the plate but ignores the tea.
Have you rung your mother?
The little girl places the plate on a nearby table and starts eating a biscuit. She won’t meet Agatha’s eyes.
Her phone’s off.
Relatives, then
. Agatha looks at the cup of tea, then sips it.
Any of those?
My aunty lives out east
, the little girl says.
Melbourne
. Agatha feels like a giant looming over her. Was she ever this small?
But Mum says we don’t need anyone else.
Oh, she did, did she! Tried your aunty?
I don’t know her number.
Don’t you have an address book?
Mum had it in her phone.
Look it up in the White Pages!
What are White Pages?
What’s her name?
Judy.
Judy what?
Aunty Judy.
Aunty Judy! From Melbourne!
Agatha turns and walks back down the pathway.
What am I supposed to do with that!
She throws one arm up in the air, the tea splashing over the edges of the cup.
The little girl runs after her.
My dad died.
Yeah, well!
Agatha turns around to face the girl.
So did mine!
She sips her tea forcefully.
When did he die?
Sixty years ago!
Mine died three months ago.
This isn’t a competition! But if it was! I’ve lived without mine for longer than you! So!
What happened at his funeral?
What kind of question is that!
Mum didn’t let me go to Dad’s funeral.
Well, that was probably the best thing for you!
Why are you yelling?
Why are you whispering!
I’m not.
Neither am I!
Agatha turns to cross the street but stops short. She stares at the house across from them. She takes another forceful sip of tea.
I live there?
The little girl nods.
But it’s . . .
Agatha can’t finish the sentence. It’s the house in the street that children would be frightened of, that adults would have scorn or pity for. She turns back to the girl.
You’re sure I live there?
The girl nods again.
Can you help me find my mum?
she says.
Of course not!
Agatha says.
I have things to do! I’m very busy! Go to the police!
I can’t. They want to give me a new mum and a new dad.
Go back inside!
Agatha yells, striding toward her house.
Keep trying your mother!
6:16: Sits in the Chair of Disengagement. Drinks a mug of Bonox and watches television static.
6:24: The television static begins to look like the little girl’s face.
6:25: Pours the remainder of her Bonox down the sink.
6:26: Removes all her clothes.
Shoes. Blouse. Stockings.
And hangs them up.
6:31: Sits in the Chair of Disbelief and stares at herself in the mirror.
6:33: Her face becomes the little girl’s face. She accidentallyknocks the portable clock off the bathroom bench and it smashes on the tiles.
6:33 to 6:45: Stares at the smashed clock.
6:46: Puts on her nightgown and turns off the light.
and the next day
5 :36 P . M . : Agatha knocks on the little girl’s front door and hands her a plate piled with roast meat, potatoes, broccoli, and gravy.
Thank you
, the little girl says, and begins to eat from the plate with her fingers while standing.
What are you doing!
What do you mean?
the little girl says, face already covered in gravy.
You should be outside! Playing! You’re just a child! Don’t sit at the window!
You do that.
But I’m old! I’m allowed to do that! I’m allowed to do whatever I want! That’s what happens when you get old! Write that down! It’s important!
I’m hiding.
From who?
Helen. Stan. My new mum and dad. The police.
Agatha stares at her.
What did you do?
I don’t know,
the little girl says, and starts to cry.
8:12: Agatha puts on her nightgown and turns off the light. As she’s climbing into bed, she trips over something soft. She turns on the light.
8:13: She has kicked her husband’s slippers across the room.
8:14: Agatha turns on the bathroom light and looks at herself in the mirror. She starts feeling it again. That thing rising up her throat.
She’s talking me into it!
she yells.
and the day after that
6 :00
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