Page 123 of How To Not Need You

I look at him. “I know.”

“Mum was stupid when Dad left.”

I stop kicking. Leo doesn't talk about his dad much.

“She cried heaps,” he says. “And then she met Alexander and now she's happy again.”

“Oh.”

“Except now she does this.” He makes his eyes really big and smiles.

I stare at him. “What are you doing?”

“The face.”

“What face?”

“The gross one Mum makes at Alexander.” He does it again. It looks stupid. Then he makes a gagging noise. I smile even though I’m trying not to.

“Liv does it too,” he says.

My smile disappears. “What?”

“She does it at your dad.”

“No, she doesn’t.”

“Yes, she does.”

“How do you know?”

“I have eyes.”

I narrow mine at him.

Leo rolls his. “She loves him.”

My feet hit the ground. The swing stops. “How do you know?”

“I just told you. The face.”

“That doesn't mean she loves him.”

“Yes, it does.”

“No, it doesn't.”

“Yes, it does.”

“You're nine.”

“So?”

“So you don't know.”

“I know more than you. I'm four years older.”

That is true, but I don't like it. I start swinging again.