Page 22 of Fall

“If anyone understands that, it’s me,” I say quietly. “What changed?”

“My mum; he met my mum, and she gave him a choice. Her or his work,” she says, her voice quiet.

“And he chose her?” I respond.

“Yes, he did. He only served a year because he gave evidence in the trials of all of his business partners and told the police where to find everything. Then he and my mother were given a new identity and last name,” she explains.

I guess it makes some sense, the police would have done anything for the information her father gave them, and then the new identity as a reward.

“Fox?” I say, and she nods.

“And then they started having kids and lived happily ever after.” She chuckles, but it’s almost sad.

“Does he ever speak about his old life? Did he easily manage to move on?” I ask, knowing my own past haunts me. I don’t think I will ever be able to put The Cage behind me, or what our father did, and manage to sleep at night without my nightmares haunting me.

“He did, with my mum at his side. He says that she chases away his darkness,” she tells me, and I know she means more than just her dad now, as she stares back at me. Her blue eyes seem to search my face for a long time, looking for something I don’t know how to give her. Feelings I’ve stopped myself from having since Hazel, but I can’t stop the way I look back at her. I can’t stop how I feel for her, the siren is working her way into my heart whether I like it or not.

“Maybe some darkness can’t be kept away.”

“All darkness can be kept away, you just need to find your light,” she says, standing up and leaning over to kiss me on the cheek.

I watch as she walks out of the room, leaving the door open, and I watch, wondering if Tilly could be that light for me. I wonder if she could be the one to stop the darkness of my past from haunting me.

Chapter Eleven

Tilly

“Thank you for all of this,” I whisper to Izzy as she walks us into her apartment, which has been done up for the baby shower she’s throwing Maisy and me.

Seconds later, everyone jumps up from where they were hidden and shouts surprise. I want to say it’s a surprise, but I overheard her telling Harley something the other day, so I knew. I laugh and smile as someone switches the lights on, and I get a look at the room.

There are pink and blue decorations everywhere, with flowers and balloons spread around the room. I don’t know all the women here, but most look familiar, and I’ve possibly seen them around the gym. There’s a counter full of presents, in two large piles, and I know I will have to send ‘thank you’ letters to everyone for the gifts. They don’t really know me that well, and yet, they clearly bought me baby gifts. I try not to feel the pang of sadness I do when I realise my mother isn’t here, not that I expected her to be. I just never imagined having a baby shower without her.

“It’s nothing.” Izzy waves a hand at me, motioning me inside as she speaks.

“You look lovely,” Allie says as she walks up to me with Maisy at her side. I give her a hug, looking at the weird pink and blue bows clipped to her blue dress. Maisy tries to hug me, but both our large bumps get in the way.

“Aha, even though I’m a month behind you, my bump is huge,” Maisy comments, and it’s true. Her bump is massive on her small frame, whereas mine is still small. I remember the baby scan that Harley came with me to, how they said the baby is curled up around my spine and it’s normal.

“I think it’s because Tilly is taller than all of us,” Allie says, and she might be on to something.

“Okay, what is with all the bows?” I ask her, seeing that all the women have them on and Maisy doesn’t.

“Okay, so it’s game. Everyone got a bow when they came in, and if you say ‘baby’ then you have to give your bow, or bows, to whoever you were talking to. Whoever has the most at the end gets a prize,” she says, clipping a bow onto my red maternity dress. I smooth it down and look at my red dress, seeing my little bump.

“How come you don’t have one?” I ask Maisy, who laughs before answering.

“I gave up when I walked in. I can’t not say baby, and the prize is useless for us pregnant people.” She winks, so I’m guessing it’s alcoholic.

“Congratulations on the baby coming, I’m Emilia,” a woman with curly, brown hair says, coming over. She’s wearing a black hoodie and black jeans, which is different from the room full of women in dresses, but it doesn’t take away from her beauty. She has tanned skin and big, brown eyes.

“Hi, I’m Tilly, nice to meet you,” I say, shaking her hand.

“I live with Izzy and Blake here,” she tells me, and it makes some sense. “But I’m off, I just wanted to say hello.”

“You could stay, it looks like there is plenty to drink and eat,” I say, noticing the massive buffet table in the lounge, which is full of baby-themed food. There is even a cake shaped like a cradle, with ‘Baby Fox’ written in icing on the side.

“Thanks, but my dad called, and yeah, I have to go. We should hang out another time, though.” She smiles, and I nod.

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