Page 56 of Quiet Longing

Instead of answering, I replied, “Do you think your dad will still be up?”

“He’s probably in his office, yeah, but what the fuck? Tell me how this happened.”

I glanced at the floor, my expression tense. “My dad.” I was unable to say more than that. Derek cursed and ran a hand over his jaw.

“Come on, then,” he said at last, and I followed him to see his father.

***

Padraig and I didn’t see eye to eye when it came to the CCTV footage. He took one look at me and wanted to have my father arrested on the spot. I explained to him about the divorce, how I needed Dad to sign the papers and not contest it, but this didn’t change his mind. Derek agreed with his father, so it was two against one, but I held firm.

“How about a compromise, then,” Padraig suggested. “I’ll hold off on showing the footage to the Guards until the papers are signed.”

I rubbed my chin. “I’m not sure.”

“Listen, son, you need to think clearly on this. Your father is a dangerous man. The state you’re in right now … if it was my decision, I’d say lock him up and throw away the key. It would be immoral to let him get away with tonight’s attack because no doubt he’ll do it again. Even if he’s out of yours and your mother’s lives, that doesn’t mean he won’t hurt someone else. And I refuse to let that happen. Not only will I not allow it to weigh on my conscience, I won’t allow it to weigh on yours either. I care about you, Rhys, and I want to you to live a good life with peace of mind.”

Emotion I wasn’t equipped to handle seized me, but I was still unsure. It felt underhanded to lie to Dad, let him imagine I’d never share the footage so long as he complied with the divorce. But it wasn’t like he deserved my honesty. He’d made my life so fucking needlessly dark and depressing, destroyed my mam’s confidence, a gentle woman who never so much as raised her voice in anger.

“Derek told me of your plans to go to France,” Padraig went on. I glanced at my friend, and he gave a shrug. I wasn’t mad at him for sharing. It wasn’t like my plans were some big secret. I just hadn’t really felt the need to tell anyone. “When you go, wouldn’t you feel more at ease knowing your father was somewhere he could no longer reach your mother?”

Okay, he had a point. I’d always imagined we’d sell the house and get mam a place close to Aunt Claire’s so she and Uncle Eugene could look out for her. But even still, I’d be gone. If something happened … No, Padraig was right. I’d feel so much better knowing Dad was behind bars and couldn’t get to her.

“All right,” I said, blowing out a tired exhalation. “We’ll do it your way.”

Padraig nodded soberly. “Good. Now, you boys get on to bed. I’ve work to finish up with here.”

Derek and I didn’t say much when we returned to his room. I was dreading the morning because I had another shift at the hotel, and people were going to want to know what happened to me. I considered taking a sick day, but I needed every penny I could get, both for Mam and for my end of summer plans.

The following morning when I went downstairs for breakfast, the entire family, minus Padraig, was in the kitchen eating. Nuala’s face dropped when she saw me, rising from her seat. “Rhys, oh my goodness. What happened?”

I glanced at Charli, and that feeling of intense connection swept through me. It was getting stronger by the day. How was it that my gaze was always drawn to her?

I looked to Nuala, a fake story on the tip of my tongue when I suddenly decided I wasn’t going to lie to people anymore. I’d been covering up for Dad my entire life, and I was sick of it.

“My dad happened,” I said flatly. I knew by the sad, empathetic look in Jo’s eyes Padraig had already told her everything. There was also a hint of anger there, the same angerI saw in everyone when they found out. It made me realise that the shame I often felt, the strange urge to blame myself for not being strong enough to fight back, wasn’t necessary. No one blamed me or thought me weak. They only felt angry at Dad for his actions.

“Your dad?” Nuala questioned, a hitch in her voice like she might cry. I understood how shocking the news must be for someone like her. She had parents who only doted on and loved her. She wasn’t accustomed to anything different. Tristan looked equally shocked and upset. We’d been friends since we were kids, but he had no idea what my life had truly been like.

“You don’t need to worry,” Derek spoke up. “It’s being taken care of.” His eyes met mine, a silent pact between us. One way or another, we’d see to it my dad was out of both Mam’s and my lives for good. I appreciated his support.

“What do you mean ‘taken care of’?” Tristan asked, his brow furrowing.

“My mam is filing for divorce, and my dad found out yesterday,” I explained. “He believes I’m the one convincing her to do it, so he waited for me outside the hotel when I was leaving work and attacked me. It was caught on CCTV so I’m going to report him to the Guards.”

I left out the part about waiting for the divorce papers because I knew Nuala and Tristan would try to convince me to go straight to the station just as Padraig and Derek had. Glancing at Charli, she seemed curious about the last bit. When I spoke to her last night, I’d mentioned the blackmail, but at that point, I hadn’t planned on going to the Guards.

“You’re going to report him?” she asked with a mixture of concern and relief.

“Yes, I spoke to Padraig last night, and he convinced me it was the right thing to do. I can’t take the risk Dad might hurt my mother or attack someone else.”

She nodded, empathy in her gaze while Jo placed an omelette in front of me.

“Padraig said to tell you he’s arranged for someone else to cover your shifts at the hotel this week,” she said in a gentle voice.

“But I need to—”

“No arguments,” she cut me off. “You’ll still be paid for the sick days, and besides, you’re in no fit state to work. You need to rest and get better. I’ve also made an appointment for our family doctor to come see you. She does house calls and is very discreet.”

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