"We've been bonding for years," Ray insisted, even though it didn't look like any of that was going to pay off today. "He's just forgotten."

Picking up the box the car had come in, he wiggled it in front of Daniel's tearful face. "You wanna play with the box?" He might have been three but he wasn't stupid. The crying notched up a few decibels. Ray closed his eyes for a second, then put the car into the box, offering that instead.

"Compromise?" Daniel quietened a little and clasped the box with both hands, giving it a shake. Ray knew it wouldn't stay inside the box for long but maybe by then he'd have been able to find a new distraction for the boy.