The late afternoon was morphing into early evening as Billy walked along the path. He made his way underneath the branches of the horse chestnut tree where dapples of sunlight fought their way through. They danced in front of him as a slight breeze disturbed the old branches.

Billy nodded to an older couple who passed him.

They were the first people he had encountered since arriving. After the hustle and bustle of Brighton life, it made a welcome relief to find such stillness.

His body automatically brought him to the little spot, just near a wall, where he’d experienced one of the worst moments of his life. Billy stood transfixed. Every time he came here, he would relive it all over again.

“Hello, Mum,” he said.

He crouched down and gently rested the posy of flowers he’d bought at the florist van by the gates. Then he pressed his fingertips to the cold stone that declared his mother’s details. Every time, he fancied he might feel a connection to her. He was always disappointed.

Billy liked to think that she was a long way from this spot. Hopefully somewhere that made her happy. Even so, he’d come here for a chat.

If you can fire some wisdom my way, Mother, I’d appreciate it.

The ground was dry so he settled himself by her stone. He made sure he wasn’t sitting on anyone else. She would be after him if he disrespected any of her neighbours.

He smiled to himself. Her dulcet tones would smash through any silence if he or Harry had done anything wrong. They would try to blame each other. Yet their mother had a way of getting to the truth in record time.

The smile dropped when he considered how she would be viewing the latest turn of events in the mess he called his life.

“Sorry it’s been a while,” he said out loud. “Things have got a bit crazy.”

The breeze rustled the hedge behind him. He gazed down at the small stone. How could a lifetime of love be reduced to that.

When the undertaker had brought her ashes, that was all he’d been able to fixate on. How small the box was. That couldn’t contain the larger-than-life presence of his mother. For a moment he had thought they’d made a mistake.

As the country was still in the grips of the pandemic, the funeral had been limited to Billy, Crystal, Harry and Kim. After, they’d parted awkwardly at the gates and Billy had taken a shocked Crystal home. He had been terrified at taking on such a responsibility. In the same way that he was looking at the future right at that moment.

“I’ve done my best by her,” he said, absentmindedly stroking the edge of the stone. “I bet you wouldn’t let her go on her own to the other end of the country. At fifteen years old.”

He stopped and grinned.

“Almost sixteen as she keeps reminding me. But what else can I do? This opportunity is so big. She would never forgive me if I put a spanner in the works.”

Billy rested his forehead on his knees. Everything felt overwhelming. A tear escaped and dropped to the grass below.

It could join the countless others he’d shed at this tiny patch of land that had presumed to contain one of the most important people he’d ever known.

“It’s not just that,” he said.

Another tear.

“I miss you.”

His whole body yearned to feel those soft hands on his arm. To smell her floral scent as she hugged any problem away. There wasn’t anything on earth that could compare to his mother’s arms. Even now, four years on, it was too painful to accept that he would never experience them again.

“I met someone,” he continued. “I really thought he was different. More bloody fool me.”

Now he wouldn’t have got away with that in her presence. No matter how upset he was. She would have swatted him over the head with the nearest implement and told him off for swearing.

He wiped his nose and looked up. The real world was still there. In all its glory. Still missing his mother.

“What’s the point?” he said. “You can’t help me. He’s turned out to be a liar. I can’t risk someone like that disrupting Crystal’s life. She needs all my support right now.”

Then it struck him.

“What if I go with her?” he said. This time it was more to himself than his mother. “It could be the change I need.”

Billy got to his feet. A plan was forming.

“I’ve got to go, Mum. I’ll come back soon.”

He blew a kiss and went back the way he had come. He wasn’t finished with the garden of remembrance just yet. In a strange twist of fate, five minutes’ walk away lay the plaque to Leanne Morrison.

When he got there, he noticed it was full of flowers. It always had a display. No matter what time of the year.

Billy stood in front of it. He had never met seventeen-year-old Leanne. Yet their lives had become so linked, he felt as though he knew her. So much so that he always visited on his way back from visiting his mother.

“Hello, Leanne,” he said.

He remembered when he’d first heard her name. The day the police had broken down the door and dragged his snivelling stepfather out in handcuffs. The name hadn’t meant anything to him in those days. Now he knew her to be a decent kid who had been studying hard to become a vet. All that had changed when fucking Brian had decided he could drive to the off-licence for more booze when Billy’s mother had refused.

No matter what Billy had said to her, his mother had taken the guilt to her grave.

“He’s back,” Billy continued. “I needed to let you know. Fucking bastard came straight to Brighton.”

“Who are you?”

Billy whirled around. A small woman stood in front of him. She looked like a careworn version of the photos of Leanne they’d published in the newspapers at the time.

“I’m sorry,” Billy said.

She approached him. “Who is back?”

Billy knew he was cornered. “Brian Brookes has been released from prison.”

She looked as though her legs were about to give way underneath her. Billy helped her over to a bench where they both sat.

“I presume you’re Mrs Morrison?” Billy asked.

She nodded. “Who are you?”

“I had the misfortune of being Brian’s stepson,” Billy said.

He wondered if he still technically held that title. After all, his mother and Brian hadn’t divorced.

Mrs Morrison glared at him. “What are you doing here? Come to make yourself feel better?”

“That’s a fair question,” Billy replied. “I came to tell Leanne that I have it in my power to get rid of him and for her not to worry, that’s what I’m going to do. He’s scum and should never have come back here.”

“If my husband sees him, he’ll kill him,” she said. “I can’t have it all dragged up again.”

Judging by the weariness coming from the poor woman, Billy didn’t think the events of that night had ever left her. Nor would it. If only people like Brian were made to see the devastation they caused.

Not that it would bring Leanne back. Billy reached forward and took her hand. At first, she flinched but didn’t pull back.

“I promise you,” Billy said. “Your husband will not be bumping into Brian Brookes. I’m going to fix this. I can never ever undo what that piece of shit did. Believe me, I wish he’d never come into our lives in the same way you do.”

“Then do it,” she replied. “Please.”