Authors: Natasha Preston
“Come and sit, sweetheart,” she said as she finally sat down. “How are you holding up?”
“I don’t know,” I replied, sitting next to her. I was just about holding it together. I wanted to scram and cry. “Why are they doing this to him? I’m so sorry, Jenna. I should have never said
—”
“Oakley.” She grabbed both of my hands. “Please don’t blame yourself. Everything will be fine.”
“How do you know?” I whispered.
“Because I won’t let anything happen to my son.”
I smiled and prayed she had the ability to do that. Of course she would want to protect her child, but was there anything she could realistically do? “You should go home, Oakley. Especially now there’s so much media attention. There’s no use in you waiting around here too.”
I started to panic. My stomach turned. “I don’t want to leave him.”
“I know, and I understand that. I do think that while he’s being questioned, and we’re not sure if they’ll charge him, you shouldn’t be here though. Please don’t think it’s because I don’t want you here. I just need to make sure everything is done properly to give him the best chance, and I don’t know if the press following you and getting wind of what’s happened is the best thing here.” Her eyes filled with tears. I couldn’t even imagine how she was feeling.
“Okay. I’ll go,” I agreed. If that’s all I could do now then I would. “When you see him tell him…” Tell him what? “Tell him I love him.”
“I will. You know he loves you too, don’t you?” Jenna rubbed my arm, and I nodded.
“I’ll take you back,” Jasper said, and turned to Jenna and David, “Call when you know anything?”
Jenna nodded. “Of course we will.”
“Come on,” Jasper whispered, wrapping his arm around me. “Walk quickly to the car and don’t stop to talk. Let me handle the questions, okay?” I nodded. David smiled as we passed him, but I couldn’t bring myself to smile back.
As soon as the door opened the deafening noise returned. It was only a few minutes ago we had told people we were going back inside to wait, and now we were leaving. I was all over the place.
“Just walk, Oakley,” Jasper instructed. He held his hand up as he ushered me to the car. “There hasn’t been any news, but we will let you know as soon as there is. Now, I’d appreciate if you let me get my sister home. Thanks.” He spoke so confidently and calmly, so unlike Jasper.
He practically pushed me into the car, and ran to the driver’s side.
“You should be Prime Minister,” I smiled at him.
He grinned and shut his door, already starting the car. “I should.”
We drove in silence until we were almost back at Ali’s house. “He’ll be okay, won’t he?” I asked, desperately needing reassurance.
“He will.”
Jasper’s sudden cry of complaint pulled me out of my thoughts. The crowd outside our house had easily doubled since we’d left. The drive was barely visible.
“Let’s just run for it,” I said.
“Good plan,” Jasper agreed as he carefully drove the car through the parting crowd. He got out first and ran to my side. My hands were shaking as I got out. It was all so surreal. Jasper bundled me under his arm and propelled me through the door.
“Any news?” Mia questioned, stumbling over her words.
No news.
Unable to hold it in, I started crying. It was like I’d opened the floodgate again and everything came pouring out. Jasper picked me up like I was a little child, but I didn’t even care. I curled up in his arms and cried until my throat was sore.
Later, I laid on the sofa staring at a pin hole in the ceiling left from the Christmas decorations. I had returned to my zombie state of numbness.
“Oakley,” Mum shouted. I jumped. She ran into the living room as I shot up.
“What?” My stomach lurched in anticipation. She held her hand up as she listened to someone on the phone. I looked at Miles, and he mouthed,
David.
David.
Oh God, please say Cole’s coming home, please.
When Mum gasped and smiled I felt a pang of hope. “Okay, bye,” she said and hung up the phone. “They’re not pressing charges.”
“They’re not? Really? You’re sure?” I questioned. My heart soared. It was going to be okay. Cole was going to be okay.
She smiled and hugged me, her arms squeezing me in celebration. “Yes, he’s coming home now. They’re already on their way. David said everyone at the station was less than happy at the arrest. Because Cole and Oakley’s similar age at the time the charges against him have been dropped.”
I gripped Mum, sagging against her body with relief as she stroked my hair. I stayed hugging my mum like a child until I heard the front door open. I dried my tears just in time to see Cole walk in, closely followed by his parents and Linda. His eyes scanned the room and settled on me.
For a second I couldn’t move. He was really back. His face fell, and he took the few steps towards me. “Cole,” I sobbed, stumbling to him. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly. “I’m so
—”
“Don’t,” he said. I closed my eyes and buried my head in his neck, needing to be close to him. “We’re gonna be okay now.”
“Are you okay? They’ve definitely dropped charges for good?” I took a shaky breath and blinked back tears of relief.
He nodded and squeezed his arms around me. “I’m fine. It’s over. I promise.”
“Definitely?”
Cole smiled and pressed his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes, savouring the moment. “Definitely. They were so apologetic after they’d finished the questioning. Nothing will go on my record. Think we can maybe keep our private life private from now on?” he teased.
All that mattered was that he was home and was staying home. “Think we’ll get a break now?”
He pulled a face. “Now where’s the fun in that?”
“Cole, man, good to have you back.” Jasper ripped Cole away from me and gave him a man hug, before pushing him my way again. “You can go back to feeling up my little sister up now.”
I rolled my eyes. Hugging was hardly ‘feeling up’
.
Jasper turned to Linda and said, “So, love before we all sit down, is there
anything
else
,
anyone
of us could be arrested for?”
She laughed a little and shook her head. “No. Well, just me for murder if you call me love again.”
“Awesome,” Jasper exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “I’ll crack open the JD.”
“Yes, do you want to stop for a drink?” Jenna offered Linda. “It’s the least we can do.”
“Thank you, but I have a lot to do.” And she probably needed to lie down after dealing with me and my family. “Now, don’t take this the wrong way,” she said to me and Cole, “but I hope I don’t see either of you for a while.”
I stepped closer to her and smiled. “Me too. Thank you again, so much.”
“You’re very welcome.”
We hugged and said goodbye. I tried to think of something I could do to repay her, but nothing would ever be enough for what she had done for me, Cole and the other girls and the ones that would have been at risk. She had given me freedom by putting Max and Frank away, and made it possible for me to move on.
As we closed the door behind Linda and the crowd that was still hanging around the house, I felt lighter. We were done and could just live our lives now. Smiling, I turned to Cole.
“Wine?” Mia said, giving Cole a sideways hug. “I could drink some wine.”
Cole feigned disapproval. “What kind of example are you setting Leona?”
Mia pointed at him. “A good one. Mummy only drinks in the evening when it’s Leona’s bedtime.”
Jasper fake coughed. “Apart from yesterday.”
“Oh, please, Jasper. You’re the worst role model ever,” Mia argued. “What would you show your son, huh? That Daddy can get laid by a different woman every night of the week?”
He grinned widely, and I was glad all our parents had gone in the kitchen. “Yeah, ’cause Daddy’s the boss.”
Cole laughed and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. I loved it when he did that; I felt completely protected. “Daddy’s an idiot.” The three of them started bickering about who was the best role model.
I smiled to myself.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Oakley
Things were normal, finally. In the sixteen days since Cole was released, I spent time with my family, went shopping, played princesses with Leona, and spent a lot of time with Cole at his new house. He had moved in two days ago and loved having his own space. Well, apparently he loved having me ‘invade’ his own space.
Since Max and Frank were locked away, I felt free. The memories couldn’t be locked away, but I was doing much better. It would take time, still. I had a lot to work through, but I could finally feel myself healing.
After having a long conversation with Cole about the things in my old life that I missed, I decided it was time to revisit gymnastics. Cole wanted to come, but he was working, and I wanted to go alone, anyway. There was no need for anyone to escort me everywhere any more. I felt safe being alone for the first time in fifteen years.
Even the press had gotten a little bored of me. Well, most of them had. A few still hung around occasionally, and I was contacted almost daily asking for my story. But phone calls I could ignore easily enough. I was able to leave the house without people running at me.
I parked Mum’s hire car as close to the door as I could and walked through the familiar building. Apart from new posters and flyers pinned to the blue boards on the walls, everything was the same. Even the walls were still the same dull cream with dark marks and chips in the paint.
Of course, everyone in my old gymnastics group had left, so the people would be different, with the exception of my old coach, Marcus. I was so eager to see him. I couldn’t stop smiling. It had been far too long.
“Oakley!” Marcus shouted. A grin spread across his tanned face as he jogged over to me. His crushing arms held me against his hard chest. “I’m so glad you came. How’re you doing?”
“I’m great. Having breathing issues right at this second, but great.” He chuckled and loosened his arms a fraction. “How about you?” It was really, really good to see him again.
Marcus pulled grinned wider. “I’m good. The gym’s not doing too well though. Mary’s moving so we have no one to teach the under-fives on Tuesday and Thursdays. So I was wondering…” he trailed off, pouting his lips, the way he did when he wanted something.
Wow, he wasted no time at all, but then he always did get straight to the point. “I would love to, Marcus, but I don’t think I can.”
“No! You’re going back? Screw Australia! Stay here with Cole and teach the kids. Oakley, you’ve got nothing to run from any more and a few huge reasons to stay. You know you have.”
I knew that, but I was the one that made Mum and Jasper move half way across the world four years ago. How could I tell them to go home without me? Mum had Miles now too. “I know.”
“Just think about it. I need to replace Mary in four weeks. I’ll keep the job open to you for two and then I’ll
have
to advertise.”
“Thanks, Marcus. I’ll definitely think about it.” I was already thinking about it. Staying here
was
a possibility now. I had enough money to support myself for probably five or six months but after that, two days’ work wouldn’t be enough.
“I’m sure you’ll make the right decision,” he replied, giving me a cheeky school boy wink. “Wanna get a drink? I have a while before practice.”
The drinks in the canteen were disgusting, but I actually missed that too. “Drinking that crap again?” I smiled and linked my arm through his. “You bet!”
Marcus nudged me and nodded to a table. “You sit, I’ll buy the liquid shit.”
I sat in my favourite spot, by the window. Marcus sat down and handed me a hot chocolate; he’d remembered my drink of choice.
I wrapped my hand around the mug. “Thanks. Hey, you remember when Silas broke his wrist doing a backflip off that table?”
Marcus laughed. “Yeah. What an idiot. You just stood there looking at him like
did he really just do that
. He was too cocky.”
I smirked. “He wasn’t after that. Anyway, so what’s going on? Why are things so bad for the gym?”
He sighed. “I don’t know. Something’s going on, but no one seems to know a damn thing, or they do they’re not saying. Some guys in fancy suits have been wondering around. I think the place is in trouble.” And that would be why he desperately wanted the gymnastics to work, he was scared the business was in trouble.
“Have you asked Gregory?” Gregory was the owner of the centre, and a total idiot. He cared about money, not people. I’d always hated him. There was trouble with him every year about raising the prices too high, and none of the extra money ever went into improving the facilities.
“I did. He made it sound like it was all in my head. Of course, he wouldn’t tell me the truth. He’s said so much bullshit in his time, I don’t even think even he knows what the truth is. Enough of that crap though. Has the media circus died down?”
“Took a little while, but I think they’ve finally realised I don’t want to talk about it. Well, most of them, some still hang around.”
Marcus nodded. “It’ll stop before too long. Don’t let the pap be a factor in deciding where to live though.” He thumped his heart and said, “Team England.”
“Team England?” I repeated, laughing. “You’ve clearly never been to Australia!”
There was no way I would let the press decide anything for me. The house I grew up in was still a huge problem, however. I couldn’t drive past it without feeling sick. I wasn’t sure if that was something I would be able to get over or not. Every time I was at Cole’s parents’ house I could feel its proximity. It might as well have been a hundred foot tall and lit up in neon lights.
“Want some advice?”
I smiled. “Do I have a choice?”
“Why no you do not!” He winked. “Look, Oakley, they took too many years of happiness from you. Don’t let them have another second longer.”
“Hmm. Alright, I’ll give you that one. That’s actually good advice. I expected you to say something crude.”
“I can if it’ll make you feel more comfortable?”
“No thanks. Anyway, I should really get going.”
“Already?”
“Yes, but I’ll come back soon.”
Marcus stood up as I did. “Okay, just remember,
Team England
.”
Nodding, I grabbed my cup. “I will. It was really good to see you, Marcus. Thanks.”
“See you
soon
,” he called. Laughing to myself, I waved over my shoulder and threw the plastic cup in the recycling bin. I felt happier for seeing him, and everything else seemed a little clearer now.
I got in the car and dialled Ali’s mobile. Marcus had good advice. Advice I wasn’t going to ignore, because he was right. Max and Frank were not stopping me from being happy for another second.
Hanging up the phone from speaking to Ali, it rang immediately. I smiled as Cole’s name flashed up on the screen. “Hi,” I said.
“Hey. How’d it go with Marcus? You on your way home?”
“Good, and yes. How’s work? You’re not busy, right?”
“Hmm, are you insinuating that I’m not busy because you think I do nothing all day, or are you asking?”
Giggling, I replied, “Asking!”
“Well, no, not really.”
“Of course you’re not,” I teased. “Sorry. I know you’re very important.”
“Was there anything in particular you wanted?” Cole asked. His voice laced with sarcasm and a hint of amusement.
“You called me.” I pointed out. “And nope.” My heart danced in happiness. I loved our playful conversations. “Want me to go?”
“Nope
,” he replied. “I want you in my bed.”
“Cole, you’d better be alone in your office!”
“No, I’m in a conference,” he muttered dryly. “Of course I’m alone. No one really comes in my office.”
“I’m playing a sad song on a tiny violin.”
Cole chuckled. “I’m gonna hang up.”
“No, you won’t. Are you coming to Ali’s after work?”
“Do you want me to come to Ali’s after work?”
I shook my head, laughing softly. “You know I do.”
“Then you know I’ll be there at quarter past five.”
I pulled into Ali’s driveway, right by the front door because there were a few people hanging around outside. They didn’t come through the front gate anymore. Not since Jasper threatened to call the police and report them for trespassing.
“I’ve just got back to Ali’s. I’ll see you tonight, okay.”
“Okay. Love you.”
“I love you too.” I hung up the phone and took it out of the cradle. My house key was in my pocket. I grabbed it, so I could get in as quickly as possible.
“Oakley, a few words?” A deep voice shouted. Ignoring the questions being shouted at me, I shoved the key in the lock, keeping my head down. “Oakley, how do you feel about
—”
I slammed the door shut, cutting out the noise. Australia became more appealing whenever I had to run into a house to escape the cameras and questions. I flopped down on the sofa.
“Hi, honey,” Mum said, carrying two mugs in her hands. She sat down on the sofa, and from the look on her face she was trying to figure out how to tell me something.
“You okay, Mum?”
“Yeah, fine. I booked the tickets. We leave in two days.”
“Okay. Good.” I sat up and wrapped my hands around the mug. “How’s Miles?” He had to go back to Australia for work, and I knew Mum was missing him. It wouldn’t be long before they were together again though.
“I spoke to him last night. He’s fine.”
“You’ll see him soon.” She smiled and nodded. “I’m glad you’re happy, Mum.”
A ghost of a smile touched her lips “So am I.”
“But?” I prompted.
She sighed. “I don’t know really. Miles is an incredible man and a good person. I just find myself doubting things. Doubting him. I guess I’m afraid.”
“Mum, that’s understandable, but Miles is nothing like Max. After… everything, I found it hard to trust men too. I wasn’t sure what they wanted from me or were going to do.”
Mum scrunched her eyes shut; her jaw clenched in what almost looked like pain. I swallowed the lump in my throat and continued because I needed to say it, and she needed to hear it.
“It took time, but I realised that Max and Frank are the minority. You
can
trust Miles, Mum. I do. He really loves you, and hard though it is to believe it, he’s willing to take you on when you have Jasper. Marry him!”
“Oakley, I’m so s
—”
I held my hand up. “Don’t apologise. We didn’t do anything wrong.” I sounded like a therapist, but it was true.
“I really wish you would take your own advice, Honey.”
I should do, but it was hard sometimes. There was still a lot of guilt weighing on my shoulders, though it lessened every day. “I’m trying to. It’s getting easier.”
“Good,” she said, wiping her nose on a tissue. “Okay. I’m okay.” She wiped a stray tear from under her eye and smiled. “No more dwelling on the bad things. We look forward from now on. Deal?”
“Deal.” That was all I wanted her to say. It wouldn’t be as simple as she made it seem, we both knew that, but as long as we were willing to work on our issues we would be fine.
“Good. Now, what time is Cole coming over? I assume it will be the second he gets off work,” she teased.
I smiled. “Yes, from work. He’ll be having dinner with us tonight. Do you think that would be okay?” He’d been over most nights, and Ali said it was fine, but I worried she was just being polite.
“Of course. Ali loves having a full house. Lizzie will be moved out in a few years I imagine. I’m a little worried that she’ll be lonely here by herself.”
I bit my lip. “We should set her up.”
“She’d kill us, and we don’t really know anyone here any more!”
“Well,
we
don’t but…”
“Cole,” she said, grinning like a naughty school girl. He had mentioned that he worked with a load of men in their forties and fifties – he was the youngest there. “Someone around her age, single and trustworthy.”
“You had to specify single?”
“Less of the sarcasm. Oh, I’m actually excited now. I can’t wait to see her reaction.” I laughed at her. She really did seem like a fifteen-year-old girl, but I loved seeing her so carefree.
“We can demand a list of eligible bachelors when Cole gets here.” I’d been so wrapped up in myself, Mum and Jasper that I hadn’t really thought about Ali. So I hoped I could do something for her. Loneliness was awful and Ali had said she hoped to find someone special. She deserved to.
“Hey,” Cole greeted me, flashing the smile that still gave me butterflies.
“Hi.” I closed the distance between us as quickly as I could and kissed him.
“I’m glad you’re here. We need your help.”
“What with?”
“Finding Ali a man.”
Cole grinned. “Sorry, I’m taken.”