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‘And kind and thoughtful and talented and sensitive and loving and caring and, underneath it all, thank God, she’s also strong,’ Lucy added.

‘Like her mother. I’d like to see Kelly today, if that’s okay.’

‘If Kelly says it is, then it’s fine with me.’

‘Great. She asked if I could call over this afternoon, about four.’

‘Fine.’

Lucy didn’t want Tom in her house or near thekids, but if Kelly wanted to see him, she would say nothing. From now on Kelly would have whatever she wanted. Lucy had finished telling her what to do or trying to make decisions forher. She was a smart, sensible girl and she should be allowed to fly. Lucy would never clip her daughter’s wings again. She’d been wrong about so many things and over-parenting was one of them.

‘Just don’t staytoo long. She gets tired very easily. It’s going to take a while to build her back up, physically and emotionally. Jesus, when I think … If you’d seen her … the blood …’ Lucy began to cry. The image of Kelly lying in her own blood would haunt her for ever. ‘How could I have missed it? I knew she wasn’t mad about St Jude’s, and then all the stuff with Taylor and the photo happened and we were all crosswith her, but I had no idea about the bullying. I should have known. It’s a mother’s job to protect their kids from harm.’

‘Has there been any word from the school?’ Tom asked.

Lucy nodded. ‘The headmaster called me and they’re investigating. Poor Mr Gough is devastated too – he has a real soft spot for Kelly. I sent him all of Shannon’s photos of the WhatsApps and Facebook posts. He has promisedthat all of the girls who were involved will be severely punished. He’s very keen to keep it out of the media. I got the usual speech about “not wanting a few nasty girls destroying the reputation of the whole school”. So I told him that if I wasn’t satisfied with the punishments, I’d be going straight to the press. I reckon there will be quite a few empty desks at St Jude’s in January. Taylortold Dylan that Melissa is already moving to a boarding school in England. Good riddance to her.’

‘You do have grounds to press criminal charges,’ Tom noted.

‘I know,’ Lucy sighed, ‘but Kelly’s begged me to leave it alone. She wants to put it behind her and move on. I promised I wouldn’t go to the police, although I would dearlylove to see those little bitches being cross-examined in a courtroom.’

‘God, me too.’

‘But Kelly wants it behind her, so we have to accept that. She doesn’t want revenge, she wants peace. She said she wants to go back to Woodside, her old school, so I’ve set up a meeting with the headmistress. I’m hoping I can persuade her to take Kelly back. I know she’ll be safe there with Shannon at her side. God, I owe Shannon so much. She’s been a rock to Kelly.’

‘She seemslike a great girl and a really good friend.’

‘She is, just like her mother was to me when I was at my lowest point in life.’

‘Your friends are a reflection of you. I guess that’s why my father has none,’ Tom said.

After all these years of being the big looming shadow of her past, Lucy could now see Gabriel for what he was: a bully, who alienated everyone in his life and whose only son hatedhim. But, then, who was she to judge him? Gabriel had forced Tom to go to New York and Lucy had forced Kelly to go to St Jude’s.

She had almost lost her daughter because she had bullied her into doing something she hadn’t wanted to do. ‘I’m like Gabriel,’ she said, almost to herself, feeling sick to her stomach. ‘I made Kelly go to that school against her will. Oh, my God, I’m just like him.’Her hand flew to her mouth.

Tom grabbed her arm. ‘You’renothinglike him. I lived with him but he never loved me or anyone else. He’s incapable of love. You love Kelly so much it almost hurts to see. You adore her – you sacrificed everything for her. You have done nothing wrong. You were given an opportunity and you took it. Do not blame yourself for this. It’s not your fault. You have raiseda beautiful girl and I’m so proud to know her.You’re a brilliant mother, Lucy, despite all of the curve balls life threw at you. You made those kids what they are today and they are magnificent.’

‘Thanks,’ Lucy croaked. ‘I do love them more than anything, but I have to admit my mistakes, learn from them and change. I’ll never make them do anything against their will again. I thought I knew whatwas best for them, but I was wrong. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to Kelly.’

Tom raised his coffee cup. ‘A toast, to making up for our mistakes. May we both have happier futures, Lucy.’

That afternoon, Tom sat in a chair beside Kelly’s bed. She pulled things out of the big bag he’d brought and laughed. ‘Seriously, did you buy the whole shop?’

‘I wasn’t sure what to get, so I askedShannon to come with me and told her to get everything and anything she thought you might like. She’s a funny one that Shannon.’

‘She’s great – she’s like my sister.’

‘I can see that. She really loves you. She feels terrible that she didn’t tell Lucy sooner that you were being bullied. But I told her she’d saved the day and to focus on that.’

‘Good advice.’ Kelly smiled.

Tom looked at herbeautiful face, and then his gaze lowered to her thin arms with the bandages around the wrists. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let go. ‘Thanks for seeing me,’ he said. ‘I know I can never make up seventeen lost years to you. But I want you to know I’m so sorry you had to go through such a terrible experience and I’m proud of you for trying so hard. If there’s anything I can do for you,please just ask.’

Kelly twirled the sleeve of one of the Topshop tops Tom had bought around her fingers. ‘There is one thing. Keep trying to talk to Dylan. He’s angry and hurt, but he needs adad, and I can see you’re a nice person and that you regret leaving Mum.’

Tom reached out and gently took her hand. ‘How did you get to be so wise and so wonderful? Your mum did an incredible job raisingyou. But I have to say, you look so like my mother, it’s spooky. She was beautiful too.’

Kelly blushed. ‘Do you have a photo of her?’