‘Let’s go home.’

They are outside home. The sound of a woman singing inside.

‘That’s —

She runs inside, Eliza following.

‘Mum?’

‘Hello?’

‘Mum!’

‘Silly little goose.
Come here.’

‘You’re back.’

‘Back?
Where did I go?’

‘You’re up.’

‘How long was I asleep for?’

‘I don’t —
I tried to wake you up this morning, but —’

‘Thank you for taking care of this one.’

‘We went out and and and we went to the the the shop and —’

‘It’s okay —

‘Well aren’t you a big girl?’

‘Mama we were playing a game!’

‘What game?’

‘We were fighting dragons.
And —
We were on the savannah looking at animals —’

‘You fought a Dragon?’

‘Yeah!’

‘Did you beat it?’

‘Of course.’

‘Did it go Raaagghhhh?’

‘Yeah!’

‘Like this?
Raaaggghhh!!’

‘Yeah!’

‘Mum —’

‘Eliza said you wouldn’t —
But I knew you would.
I’m going to get my toys and then we can play a game together.’

‘Are you staying?
Do you want some tea?’

‘No, it’s okay.
Are you alright?’

‘Yes.
I got your prescription.’

‘You’re a star.
Thank you.‘

‘How are you feeling?’

‘Ah, you know.
‘
Thank you for taking care of her.
Really.’

‘Please —
Um —
It would really —
I would really —
If you could just —
Stay —
For a little while.’

‘I know.
You look tired.’

‘I am.’

‘Under your eyes —
Blue.
You’re like me.
I started getting bags under my eyes when I was sixteen.
They got really bad when I was in my twenties.
Looked like I had bruises on my face.
I think it’s genetic.’

‘Okay.’

‘Granny had them too.
All the women in the family.
Sorry about that.’

‘It’s okay.’

‘Summer holidays.
You should be getting more sleep.’

‘Right.’

‘I don’t want to worry you.’

‘But you do.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Just stay a while.’

‘I’m here.
I am.
Listen.
I’m just going to lie down for a few minutes.
I’m feeling a bit —
A bit tired.
But come get me in a little while and we’ll do something together.
Okay?
We’ll play —
Dragons or —
Whatever Riley wants.’

‘What about what I want?’

‘You’re a big girl.
Aren’t you?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Just a few minutes.
Just a rest.’

‘What do I tell her?’

‘I’ll be back before she knows it.
I love you.’

‘I love you.’

Mum goes into her bedroom.

‘I think we should go back to the dragon, cos Mum hasn’t seen it yet and she can do a
really good dragon’s roar, so she can play the dragon, and then maybe we can —
‘
What’s going on?
Where’s Mum?’

‘I —’