Page 146

52

Sarah looked up from her phone and beamed at Darren. ‘Good news. They’re letting Kelly out today. She’s doing great, and they’re happy for her to recuperate at home now.’

‘Fantastic,’ Darren said. ‘I’m sure she can’t wait to be back in her own bed. Thank God it worked out the way it did.’

Sarah nodded. ‘I can’t even allow myself to think of the alternative,’ she said.

Darren hugged her.‘You don’t have to. So don’t. I wonder does Shannon know. She’ll be straight over there.’

‘I’ll have to have a word with her. Kelly will need lots of rest. She can’t camp out around there like old times.’

‘I think our Shannon has grown up a lot in the last forty-eight hours,’ Darren said. ‘I’m sure she’ll be fine about it. But she’s also important for Kelly. It will do Kelly good to have timewith her.’

‘I need to ask you a favour,’ Sarah said. ‘Can you watch the kids and cover for me with Lucy for a while?’

‘You’re going for him, are you?’ Darren asked.

‘Yeah,’ Sarah said. ‘The timing is so crap, but what can I do, Darren? He’s coming no matter what. At least if I bring him, I can try to smooth the path. A little.’

Darren kissed her. ‘It’s not your fault,’ he said. ‘And I’ll standby you, no matter what happens.’

‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I’m going to need all the support I can get.’

The airport was crowded with people coming and going. Sarah swallowed the panic rising in her throat. Had she done the right thing? Lucy would never forgive her. But she was doing this for Kelly and Dylan: she knew what it was like to have no father and believe he didn’t care. She clung tothat thought.

She saw him. It was easier than she’d ever imagined. He was Kelly, Kelly was him. The resemblance was so striking that it took her breath away. She waved. He rushed over to her and threw his arms around her. ‘Thank you,’ he muttered into her hair. ‘Thank you for letting me know. How is she?’

‘She’s doing really well,’ Sarah said. ‘Out of the woods and recovering. She’s on her wayhome now.’

‘That’s so good to hear,’ Tom said. He looked exhausted. ‘So can I see her at the house?’

Sarah bit her lip. ‘I’ll take you there, Tom, and I’ll do my best, but don’t be surprised if Lucy runs you out of the place. Your timing really isn’t good. She’ll hate that you’re seeing her family at a low point. It’s going to be tough.’

‘That’s all I expected,’ he said. ‘I’ll have to takeit on the chin and hope we can somehow move on from there.’

‘Maybe,’ Sarah said doubtfully.

‘And what do we know about the circumstances?’ he asked, as they walked to Sarah’s car.

Sarah filled him in on the horror of the last forty-eight hours, and of the hell Kelly had been living through in the months prior to that.

‘Those venomous bitches,’ Tom cursed. ‘Sorry, excuse my language, but howcould they do that to her?’

‘It’s unthinkable, but kids can be incredibly cruel sometimes. Shannon has taken screen shots of everything, all the messages. She said she has lots of others from previousbullying and awful things posted. We had no idea Kelly was having such a terrible time.’

‘And how’s Dylan coping?’ Tom asked.

‘Devastated. He blames himself for not looking out for her more. Lucyblames herself for not being a better mother and Shannon blames herself for not being a better friend. Everyone’s in shock and shattered.’

Tom nodded. He looked out of the window as Sarah drove away from the airport. His first time back in Ireland in almost eighteen years. It hadn’t changed so much. More built up, but the same. He bit his knuckle. What would he say to her? What would he say tohis little girl, his beautiful Kelly? How can you apologize for missing every second of your child’s life? How do you explain why you ran away like a coward? He felt his heart tighten. He’d thought he was having a heart attack on the plane – they’d had to give him oxygen. A doctor on board said it was a panic attack and asked Tom if he had something on his mind. Tom had wanted to shout, Yes! Seventeenlost years!

They parked outside Sarah’s house.

Sarah turned to him. ‘Okay, here’s what we’ll do. I’ll go in first. I’ve printed out your email, where you described how you didn’t know and how sorry you are. It changed my mind so I’m hoping it will help now. I’ll ask Lucy to read it, then tell her you’re here and call you in. Okay?’

Tom nodded. He looked terrified.

Sarah gestured up the roadtowards Lucy’s. ‘When we walk into that house, both of our lives are going to change for ever. I’m going to lose my best friend and you’re going to meet your children.’