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got better at hiding his misbehaviour. That or public schools had lower standards and didn’t care. After being kicked out of two private schools, going to public school had been wonderful. He’d met Ed and Mike and they had begun mucking around in Ed’s garage.
    Back then his father had approved, as music had appeared to keep him out of trouble. When he’d refused to follow in his father’s footsteps and study law, things had got shaky. After one reasonably successful album he’d thought that his father would come around, but as far as he was concerned it wasn’t a real job and he never let Dan forget it.
    Dan rang the doorbell and then let himself in. He had keys to houses he didn’t even live in, and nowhere he really wanted to be. He could feel the disconnect in his life, but he didn’t want to look too closely at it. He didn’t want his father to be right and to have to admit that he was a fuck-up who would never amount to much.
    He reminded himself as long as he was having fun it was okay. The headache keeping rhythm at the back of his skull suggested that finishing the bottle of rum alone and sleeping until midday was not all fun.
    â€˜Hey, Mum. Anyone home?’ Of course she’d be home.
    The TV was going, cricket from the sounds of it, which meant his father was also home. His bit back the groan and kept his smile in place. His father had been a wicket keeper all through high school and uni. Dan had sucked at cricket—much to his father’s disappointment—and had played hockey instead.
    He hoped his father wasn’t going to trouble himself and get up.
    Dan walked through the house. As expected his mother was outside weeding. It seemed like a never-ending, thankless job. She glanced up and then took off her gloves. ‘Decided to grace us with your presence?’
    â€˜Thought I’d stop in before things get crazy again.’ Video clips and tours. God, he loved being on the other side of the country.
    She shook her head. ‘You flit about and call nowhere home.’
    He just smiled. She wanted him to put down roots—get a real job, marry and produce grandchildren. If only she knew how close she’d come to getting one. ‘I like travelling.’
    She sighed. ‘We worry about you.’
    â€˜I’m fine.’ He needed another couple of painkillers but he was fine.
    â€˜Lisa is worried. Says you still haven’t talked to her—’
    â€˜Mum, I didn’t come here to talk about my ex.’
    â€˜She’s not your ex if you haven’t moved out. There’s a perfectly good home waiting for you.’
    â€˜I’m not quitting the band.’ He’d told his mother about Lisa’s ultimatum and his mother hadn’t seen the problem.
    â€˜She knows that now.’ His mother gave him a little smile. ‘You two need to talk. You were so perfect together.’
    Dan nodded as though agreeing. He didn’t like to argue with his mother. ‘Yeah, I do need to see her.’
    â€˜Why don’t you stay for dinner, she’s coming over. It will be like old times. It will be lovely. I have a roast lamb in the oven already.’
    A free feed. He hadn’t really eaten all day. He’d slept through breakfast and had felt too ill to eat lunch. Could he get through dinner without losing his temper?
    â€˜I don’t know, Mum. I kinda need to talk to her in private.’
    â€˜Oh.’ The smile vanished.
    Her disappointment was a knife in the chest. He needed to patch this up and change the topic before the knife went deeper. ‘We have some things to work out. It’s not as simple as me moving back in.’
    His mother turned her head as footsteps thumped on the deck. Must be a drinks break in the game.
    â€˜Come round wondering where your money is?’ His father didn’t dance around the point, and while Dan had come around for that reason he wasn’t going to