The Savages by Matt Whyman

know that Oleg was a long way from living in a complete fog of bemusement. The fact was she had spent much of the day making sure the house was prepared. She had scrubbed and disinfected, dusted and polished and vacuumed every last inch.
    â€˜It has to be done,’ she said, as he followed her out onto the landing. ‘Titus insists.’
    â€˜You should just let him pay off your credit card,’ said Oleg.
    And reveal just how much debt I’m in?
Angelica thought to herself.
He’d slay me
.
    â€˜Titus has his own concerns,’ she said instead, and directed OIeg to the bathroom in case he had forgotten.
    â€˜Titus should relax about Sasha,’ he said. ‘At the moment he’s just driving her into the arms of this boy.’
    Oleg stopped and looked around at his daughter-in-law. Angelica had been referring to the fact that Titus was preoccupied with work. Even so, Oleg had a point. The last time Titus tried to address the situation with his eldest daughter, Sasha had left the table early.
    â€˜Did she tell you that he’s invited her over for supper?’ she said. ‘A
vegetarian
meal.’
    â€˜So, it’ll give her wind all evening. Is that the worst thing that can happen? Let the girl learn from the experience.’
    Grandpa shuffled into the bathroom. As he turned to close the door, he found Angelica looking at him thoughtfully.
    â€˜Titus is just scared that his little girl is growing up.’ She gestured at the window overlooking the park and the city beyond. ‘It’s a big bad world out there.’
    â€˜Sometimes it feels as if I can’t breathe at home,’ complained Sasha later that day. She looked at the ground, which was some way down, and shook her head. ‘My dad is such an asshole. Who put him in charge of all the oxygen, eh?’
    Sasha Savage was sitting alongside her two closest friends on the back of a ramp at the skate park. Sasha, Maisy and Faria came out here at lunch breaks just to get away from it all. The canteen was always packed with Years 7 and 8. Even if the girls were starving hungry, the shrieking and the smell of egg, farts and crisps was enough to persuade them to find some space. It meant Faria could light up while Sasha could air her problems.
    â€˜What’s he done now?’ asked Maisy, a pretty, cheery girl whose manner served her well in her Saturday job as a waitress.
    Sasha looked across at her. At that hour, the sun was at its brightest. She shielded her eyes with her hand before answering.
    â€˜It’s Jack,’ she said. ‘Dad hates him.’
    â€˜How can anyone hate Jack?’ asked Maisy. ‘He drives his own car and everything.’
    â€˜Anyway, why is your old man so upset?’ This was Faria, whose gaze was locked on the school buildings as she pulled on the cigarette hidden in the palm of her hand.
    â€˜It’s his new default position.’ Sasha checked her bag to see if she had packed her sunglasses. She sighed to herself, but not just because she had forgotten. ‘They haven’t even met.’
    â€˜Typical,’ said Maisy. ‘Bloody dads!’
    â€˜Jack’s cooking for me this weekend. All properly romantic and everything. His parents are out, so it’s a really good chance for us to get to know each other, only Dad has decided that I’d be placing my life in danger by dining alone with him.’
    â€˜Oh, for God’s sake,’ said Faria. ‘It’s not like Jack’s going to feast on your liver and spleen.’
    Sasha returned her attention to the ground, quietly wishing she had some shades to hide behind. Behind them, a couple of lads who’d left school the year before were slamming from one side of the ramp to the other on skateboards. One worked evenings at the Cheepie Chicken takeaway. The other had been rejected by the army. None of the girls paid them any attention whatsoever.
    â€˜So, what are you going to