Silent Child(91)

Why was I so confident that Aiden would tell me his story? Because we tell stories to heal. Aiden has a lot of healing to do. We both do. We’ll both be healing together.

Forensics found Hugh’s DNA all over the bunker. They found the paperwork detailing the purchase of land in Rough Valley Forest. No one had been suspicious because of Hugh’s dealings with various property developers. A few companies had bought small plots of Rough Valley but no one had built on the land. Hardly anyone ever went into Rough Valley Forest, a fact that Hugh had exploited.

After an appeal for information a builder came forward to admit he’d been hired to adapt an old World War II bunker as a living space. Hugh had told the man that he was thinking of turning it into some sort of ‘glamping’ spot. The place was decked out like a caravan, with a portable water tank and a generator for electricity. Hugh would need to replace them on a regular basis so Aiden could survive on his own in the woods. Because the part of the woods Hugh bought was private property, none of the public paths went even close to the bunker where my son was kept. No one heard the generator. No one. When Aiden escaped, he told me he was afraid he’d be in trouble for killing Hugh. He had turned the generator off and hid it beneath a pile of leaves.

There was no record of the bunker on any plans or included in any maps. Hugh had thought this endeavour through from the beginning to the very end. Aiden told me about Hugh’s intentions to end it by killing him, but how he had been unable to do it in the end. I didn’t like to think about what had happened the day Aiden escaped from the bunker.

I had a hard time putting together the idea of the Hugh who invited me into his home, who made us delicious roast dinners and served us fine wine, with the Hugh who snuck away from home and work to visit my kidnapped son in his private bunker. But I learned a lot about Hugh from Aiden.

Josie came to see me in hospital after Gina was born. She was in tears. Her shirt was on inside out. I gently told her to turn it the right way and she stared at me open-mouthed.

“Tell me,” I said. “Tell me you didn’t know.”

“I thought it was affairs,” she said. “That’s what everyone told me. They saw him with women. I just…”

“The day of the flood. You were there. Were you stalling me?” I asked.

She shook her head so quickly that she seemed almost manic. “No. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. I…”

“It’s all right,” I said. “I know you didn’t know. He went to extreme lengths to hide this side of himself. I don’t blame you.” I reached out and took her hand.

“I should have seen it.” She wiped tears away with the back of her hand. “I should have known the signs. After things with my dad… I thought I’d recognise it if it ever happened again.”

“I keep thinking about one night when Aiden was, I don’t know, maybe two or three, and we stayed at your place for the night. Hugh took Aiden to bed, all wrapped up in his arms. I followed them up the stairs a few minutes later and watched him tuck Aiden into bed. He was singing this lullaby really softly. I remember thinking about what a good dad he’d make. I went into the bathroom and I cried for you both because you couldn’t have children and you so deserved them.” I shook my head. “I was so wrong. And I should have known that day when Aiden sang that little song to himself. It was the same song. I should have known. Instead, all these weeks I’ve been afraid of a ghost while my own husband…”

Josie touched my hand lightly. Tentatively. “They wore masks.”

Hugh had made Josie feel safe in the same way Jake had made me feel safe. They’d done it by hiding behind their masks. Why should either I or Josie feel guilty for that? Why should we feel weak? People who prey on the vulnerable aren’t strong—they’re cheaters. While the rest of us are working hard to keep our lives in control, these cheaters are taking our lives away from us. They steal and they lie because they can’t connect with people, they don’t know love, and they don’t know what it feels like to be loved.

I almost feel sorry for them. But not quite.

When Josie left I felt very hollow and empty, but she wasn’t part of Aiden’s story, and that was my priority until everything was over. Aiden had to come first.

The media had not let us out of its greedy fist just yet. The remarkable story of the baby born just hours after the discovery of the grisly body in the bunker was splashed all over the papers. We sold millions of copies for them. But I was fiercely protective of Aiden. I ignored every phone call and every offer that came my way. I kept my cool and I learned not to scream at the reporters.

After Josie left my hospital room, I got out of the bed and took Aiden’s hand. Gina was nestled in the crook of my free arm. We walked together through the wards to bright white room filled with six beds. Three on either side. It wasn’t visiting hours and I knew I shouldn’t really be there, but I didn’t care.

“Here she is. The miracle.” Rob was propped up with pillows, smiling at us, his eyes twinkling. The same eyes as Aiden.

“Do you want to hold her?” I asked.

He nodded. His head was still bandaged, and I could see by the way he moved that he was still in some pain, but I passed Gina across to him, making sure he cradled her head, which he did with great care.

“She looks like you,” he said. Then he smiled across at Aiden. “How you doing, buddy?”