Broken Silence (Silence, #2)(2)

“No. You are though, right?”

“Yep. Wanna work for me?” he asked.

I gave him a flat look. “No.”

Mum cut in: “Do you have plans, Oakley?”

When do I ever have plans? “No.”

“Why don’t you meet me for lunch at one? We can go to that sandwich place near my office, the one that Jasper’s obsessed with.”

“Oh, lovely,” Jasper said sarcastically. “I’m bloody working and you’re planning on taking your favourite child to my favourite restaurant.”

“Are you sure he’s older than me?”

Mum smirked. “Mentally, no.” Jasper scowled. “Oh, we’ll get you a meatball sub!” she offered.

Jasper sat back and smiled proudly. “Good. Bring it to work, yeah?”

“I’ll drop it off on my way home.”

I crossed my legs and sipped my hot chocolate. Conversation quickly turned to the trial, which was only two months away. I was due to give evidence via video link because I couldn’t stand the thought of being in the same room as them, but the more I thought about it – or talked about it in therapy – the more I felt I had to go and face them.

My therapist, Martha, had gone in depth a million times about finding closure. She asked me to think about what it would take for me to be able to put it behind me enough to move forward. Following her instructions, I had been thinking about it over the past year, but there was nothing. Not until the trial date was set, and my lawyer spoke about how I could give evidence from Australia.

Martha seemed to think facing them could offer the closure I needed, but she also asked me to consider what I would do or how I would feel if they got off. Devastated. Scared. To think that a jury could possibly believe I had made it all up would be devastating.

Dad had said so many times no one would believe me. If it turned out he was right, I didn’t know how I would handle it. There was also something else to consider, or someone else – Cole.

Sipping my boiling drink, I listened as Mum and Jasper talked about the jury seeing through Dad’s charm. No one did for years. Not even the people closest to him. How were strangers going to? I couldn’t think like that. There was evidence on his laptop that proved he had indecent images of children.

I wished it was already over. After Dad and Frank were arrested, other girls came forward. One lady who claimed Dad had abused her when she was a child, and he was in his early twenties. I believed her one hundred per cent.

If those women could face them again, so could I. Taking a deep breath, I turned to face Mum and Jasper. Now or never. ‘I have something I need to talk to you about,’ I said.

“What’s up?” Jasper asked, concerned.

“I want to go back and give evidence in person.”

Silence fell upon the room, and I watched on as they thought it through. I didn’t expect them to come, not for a second. It wasn’t just me that went through it, they did too. I understood if they didn’t want to be anywhere near him.

I could go alone. My aunt, Ali, and cousin, Lizzie would be there for me. My grandparents too. Mum and Jasper were my biggest support, so of course I wanted them to be with me, but I would never ask.

Mum finally nodded. “Okay. If you’re sure that’s what you need?”

“It is.”

She put her mug down on the coffee table. “Right. I’ll speak to Ali about us staying with her and book the flights.”

She wants to come? “You don’t have to come, you know. It’s fine if you don’t want to.”

Jasper scoffed. “Like you’re going alone.”

“I mean it, Jasper. If either of you don’t want to come, it’s fine with me. I will understand if you don’t want to see them again. It’s just… I have to.”

“We’re doing this together, honey. I made that promise to you four years ago, and I’m not going to break it now.”

“Thank you,” I whispered and swallowed a lump in my throat. It meant so much that they were coming. I knew how hard it was for them; especially Mum. She blamed herself for not seeing the man she married for what he truly was. Dad had everyone fooled though. What happened was no one’s fault but his.

Jasper clenched his jaw as if he was trying to hold something in. I knew he didn’t want to see Dad again, and I felt guilty that he would have to because of me. “Jasper? You okay?” Mum asked. “Oakley’s right, you don’t have to come.”

“I’m going,” he replied, folding his arms over his chest in a stubborn manner. “I just don’t know how I’m going to stay in control when I see his face again.” I think he hated him more than I did.

“Maybe you should come to therapy with me? I’m sure Martha can fit us in for a joint session.”

“No thanks,” he muttered in response.

Therapy was something that Jasper had always refused. I started seeing Martha shortly after we arrived in Australia, and Mum used to see someone too. Jasper had his own way of dealing with things: bottling it up and letting it explode in a fight or down the bottom of a bottle.

“It’s not weak to ask for help, Jasper.”

He stood up. “I don’t need help. I just need to help you two.”

My heart dropped. I didn’t know what to say. Jasper walked out, and I wanted to run after him, but I knew he needed to be alone to cool down. He did see it as a weakness and wouldn’t do it because he needed to be strong for me and for Mum. My stupid, sweet brother.