For Your Own Protection(53)

‘I know you do, mate.’

‘Daddy got me my submarine. Do you know that?’ Charlie searched James’s face for a reaction.

‘I didn’t, no. But I do now.’

‘Yes, he bought it for me for my birthday. Before you lived here.’

James could hear Beth chatting to Sarah in the downstairs hall. ‘C’mon, we’d better get you washed before Mummy comes back.’ He did some quick wipes of Charlie’s eyes and across his face with the flannel. It certainly wasn’t as systematic as Beth’s face-cleaning regime, but it got rid of the obvious grime.

‘Daddy said he couldn’t come to Australia,’ Charlie stated. ‘I asked him, and he said he couldn’t come with us.’

‘He can come to visit. Mummy and I, we’ve told you that, haven’t we? Your daddy can come to visit whenever he likes.’

Charlie brightened. ‘Whenever he likes? Every week?’

‘Not every week, no.’

Charlie’s brow knotted. ‘But I see Daddy every week.’

James didn’t really want to go there, but maybe this was a conversation that just had to happen, and maybe it was better without Beth being around. ‘Do you remember, Charlie, I explained that Australia is far away? Well, that means that your daddy won’t have time to see you every week.’

‘Oh.’ The disappointment was palpable. And worrying.

‘But he will see you as much as he can. I promise that whenever he wants to come and visit you, he can stay in our house.’

Charlie’s brow remained furrowed. Maybe this was realisation dawning. ‘I don’t want to go to Australia without Daddy. I want to stay here.’

James resisted the temptation to say what he really wanted to say.

If I had my way, little guy, you wouldn’t be coming to Australia. You could stay here, with your good-for-nothing father, and let me get on with the rest of my life in peace, away from your whining.

Instead he dunked the flannel into the water again, squirted on the bath gel, and began lathering Charlie’s back. ‘You’ll be able to see Daddy every week on FaceTime. On the iPad. Every week.’

‘I don’t want to go to Australia without Daddy,’ the little boy repeated.

‘Australia will be fun, Charlie.’ James kept his voice even and the tone light. ‘Remember all the amazing animals you’ll see in Australia? Koalas, kangaroos . . . And the beaches – you were really excited about the beaches, and swimming in the sea.’

‘Don’t want beaches! I want to swim with Daddy. I only swim with Daddy.’ Charlie smacked the water, droplets speckling James’s shirt.

‘Little shit,’ James muttered under his breath, brushing himself down.

Charlie’s eyes widened, a bubble-coated hand over his mouth. ‘You said a naughty word!’

Instinctively, James glanced behind in the fear that Beth was standing there. But he could still hear her downstairs. ‘I didn’t, Charlie.’

‘You did! You did!’

James placed a hand on each of Charlie’s shoulders, and the little boy quietened, as if he could sense something was wrong. For a second or two, James imagined pushing Charlie under the water, pressing him firmly on to the bottom of the bath, watching the life drain out of him until it was over.

He shuddered at the dark thought.

Charlie was staring at him in fascination with those big brown eyes.

‘Listen, Charlie. Your mummy,’ James said, the embers of the fantasy still smouldering, ‘she’s really excited about Australia. Really excited. If you say you don’t want to go, then she’ll be very sad. Do you want to make Mummy sad? You don’t want to see her cry, do you? Because of you?’

Charlie peered down into the water. ‘No.’

‘I know you don’t – because you’re a good boy, a very good boy. You want your mummy to be happy. Isn’t that right?’

Still Charlie stared into the water. ‘Yes.’

‘Then that’s why we need to go to Australia, so Mummy will be happy.’

Charlie’s bottom lip was quivering. ‘But Daddy . . .’

James watched tears form in Charlie’s eyes. He had to lighten the mood and shut this down now, before Beth returned. Then he had an idea. ‘I’ll tell you what. Your daddy can visit whenever he wants. If he wants to visit every week, then he can visit every week.’

‘Really? Every week?’

James smiled. ‘Of course, if he wants to.’

‘That would be amazing!’ Charlie splashed the water again, and this time he really soaked James’s shirt.

James stood up, the satisfaction with the outcome tempering his anger at the wet shirt. ‘Time to get you out and dry,’ he said. ‘I’ve got lots to do tonight.’

He helped Charlie clamber out of the bath and then wrapped him in the towel, rubbing him dry.

‘I’m so excited,’ Charlie announced, wearing the towel like a Roman toga. He punched at the air. ‘Australia with Daddy is going to be great !’

James watched the delighted little boy.

The boy that meant the world to Beth.

Maybe he’d have to change his plans.





CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN


It was half past eight. Matt had waited until he knew James would be home, and Charlie bathed and tucked up in bed. Bath time was religiously set at seven o’clock, he’d be in bed just before seven thirty, then there were stories, and lights out at about a quarter to eight. Arriving at half past eight ensured Charlie would be properly asleep.