Where's Your Family?

 You okay? asks Louisa, catching up.

Sure, says Arthur. 

Wishing you were in France? asks Louisa.

Only if it was last year, says Arthur. 

How's Sweezus going? asks Louisa.

Crashed twice, says Arthur. 

Hah, says Louisa, hoping it sounds like whatever Arthur is expecting.

What kind of tyres is he using? asks Louisa.

How do I know? says Arthur. 

Alaphilippe won stage two on tubed clinchers, says Louisa. 

Are you following it? asks Arthur.

Course I am, says Louisa.

They ride on in silence.

A family of Glossy Black Cockatoos watches them from the branch of a sheoak.

.......

Sweezus feels better after crashing.

Vello is more sympathetic.

Here, says Vello. Let me take a few of those snacks. David you take some too. And your drink bottle.

Thanks boss, says Sweezus. Lucky I fell on on the same injury. No new ones.

Good man, says Vello. Carry on. How about leading us out?

Sweezus speeds up.

He draws level with Richie.

Hey Richie, says Sweezus.

Hey Sweez, says Richie. Sorry I didn't talk to you yesterday. 

No worries, says Sweezus. How ya doin?

Good, says Richie. Thought I'd better come,. No Froomey or Thomas this year.

Yeah, that's good, says Sweezus. What else is new?

Second child on the way, says Richie. I'm going to miss it.

That's a bugger, says Sweezus. 

Yep, says Richie, speeding away.

Sweezus thinks about Terence. What's he doing now? Who's he with? Yeah, Gaius.

......

Terence is not with Gaius. He is at the playground, with Perrot and family.

Perrot wants to move on.

Where's your family? asks Perrot.

On a palace, says Terence.

Ha ha laughs Claudine. You can't be on a palace.

I'm not, says Terence. But they are, unless there was a bomb.

What's this nonsense? says Perrot. Who brought you to Kangaroo Island?

Gaius and Arthur, says Terence. And Louisa. And Saint Roley.

Where are they? asks Perrot. And who is Saint Roley?

My parrot, says Terence. 

He's down at the shore, says Alfonse, who knows about parrots.

Terence has explained all about them.