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“She does?” I ask.
“Yeah. She’s meant to be really good. I only know about her because a friend of mine on the rugby teams’ sister attends the meetings they set up.”
Our conversation comes to an end when Mark and Levi walk back into the room, their expressions grim.
That can’t be good—whatever they have to say.
“What?” I ask, already dreading their answer.
They sit down in the two-seater, eyeing me warily. “Are you sure you want to know this?” Mark asks, and I know it’s because he’s remembering back to last year, and how withdrawn I had got.
“I need to know. I’ll go crazy otherwise. What did they say?”
He shares a look with Levi before facing me. “First, I’ve spoken to your parents.”
I stare for a few moments, my mouth agape, before snapping out of it. “What? Why?” I ask, angry he would betray me like that. He has no right, and I tell him so. “You had no right to speak to them, Mark. Why would you call them when you know they don’t care about me?”
“She’s right. What the fuck, mate. You’re meant to be family,” Banner bites out.
Levi holds his hand up, always the mediator. “Listen to what he has to say before jumping the gun. He didn’t ring to update them on you or what happened, I promise.”
I nod, looking at Mark and silently telling him to get on with it.
“I called the lawyer you said you used first, just to see what they had to say. They told me they sent a letter out to your parents’ address a few months ago?three to be exact?with the details of Darren’s release date. The letter was addressed to you as you’re no longer a minor. His release date has long passed, Emma. It was him.”
I gasp at hearing he was here, and that my parents hid that letter from me—if it was even sent. I can’t see them being that malicious. “So, it was him?” I ask, wanting them to confirm I’m not going mad. “I can’t see Mum and Dad hiding a letter from me. It could have been anything. Maybe it got lost in the post.”
He winces, opening his mouth, then closing it, looking torn. Levi takes his hand, and I watch as he rubs his thumb over the top, soothingly. I look away, feeling a knot in my throat. They should just spit it out. The suspense is killing me. I already know what they’re going to say; I can feel it.
“It was Darren, but I’ll get back to that in a second. I just need to tell you that your parents knew,” he bites out, gritting his teeth. “They admitted it on the phone when I asked, when I threatened to call our grandparents if they didn’t tell me the truth. They said you didn’t deserve to know, that you would only cause them more stress.”
He looks away, his chest rising and falling as his jaw clenches.
Those words shouldn’t hurt, but they do. I know my parents don’t love me, but it still feels like someone is squeezing my heart and twisting it every time they pull something else.
“They knew he was being released?” I whisper, letting Banner hug me closer.
He nods sadly. “They did. I’ve informed the lawyer you weren’t notified.”
“And what did they say about Darren?” Banner asks.
“He got released just under a month ago. He never moved back home with his parents, but with his aunt, not far from here.”
“Here?” I squeal, my body shaking again. I don’t know how I feel about the notion of bumping into him all the time. I thought moving away from home before he got released would ease my anxiety, but now he’s here, where I’m trying to make a fresh start.
“Yeah. They’re going to check in with his probation officer, but according to the lawyer, a restraining order wasn’t issued before his release because your mum and dad never requested one.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me?” Banner growls.
I glance down at my lap, holding back tears. “So, he’s free to come near me?” I ask hoarsely.
“We won’t let him. I’ve asked the lawyer to find out if there’s anything we can do and explained the earlier incident. They weren’t even aware of your change of address, so he’s not broken any laws. But that’s not saying he won’t. I can promise we won’t let him touch you.”
“I can’t believe this is happening. This is meant to be my fresh start. What if he decides to get payback because I sent him to prison?”
“For a crime he committed,” Banner reminds me softly.
“He didn’t care that it was his fault my sister died. What makes you think he’ll care that he got sent to prison for something that was his fault?”