BLACK CAT.✔

Chapter Seventy-Four

Linc had a ball at the café. Carl and a few of the other team members turned up with Carl's mother. The boys all squashed together in one booth and replayed the game over and over with ever increasing volume and exaggeration.

Rob's phone beeped. He looked at the screen and frowned.

"What's up?" Becky grinned. "Is that one of your girlfriend's texting?"

Lizzy laughed with her. Becky gave her a nudge and decided Lizzy wasn't so bad, especially since Drew had taken an interest in her.

"No. It's Mum. She wants us to come home." Rob put the phone back in his pocket and stood up. "Come on, Linc. We've gotta go."

"Aw... do we gotta?"

"Yep."

Something was up. Rob's eyes had a worried look. Becky could tell he was trying to hide it by grinning at the group.

"We'll see you lot on Monday," he said as he took her hand and tapped Linc on the shoulder. "Come on, mate. We gotta go."

Linc quickly slurped the last of his milkshake and gave his friends a high-five. Becky watched him through the glass window and smiled up at Rob. He was looking at his phone again. "What's the matter, Rob?"

"Ah..." He shoved the phone away and shrugged. "Not sure really but Mum wants us home as quickly as possible."

Michael and Sheila were seated at the kitchen table when they walked in. Linc shot forward. "Did you see me, Michael? I stopped the ball five times in a row."

"You played great, Linc." He looked over at Sheila. "Do you want to pull out that homemade lemonade for the kids?"

"Good idea." Sheila jumped up and grabbed some cups while Michael encouraged them all to sit.

"We need to have a chat," Michael said looking from one to the other as Sheila filled the glasses.

Becky took a sip and peered over the rim. A surge of anxiety swept through her. "Is it to do with our father?" She settled the glass back on the table and watched Michael's Adam's apple bounce up and down in his throat.

He nodded. "I'm so sorry, Becky." He looked from her to Linc, and then back again. "I don't know how to tell you this in any other way but to just say it." Michael sucked in a breath. He watched Becky steel herself and Linc give him a puzzled look. "Your father was found dead this morning in the hospital grounds. He. He took his own life. I'm so sorry."

Becky couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. Was this really happening? Her lungs suddenly punched back into play. Becky dragged in a huge breath and looked over at Linc. He had put his glass down and was staring at the table. She knew her brother well enough to know he was going into shock. Becky shook her head and stood up.

"No. Oh... no." She rushed around the table and wrapped Linc up in her arms. "It's okay, little man. It's all okay." She kissed his face as tears spilled over his cheeks. Becky let her own fall as she looked over Linc's head at Michael. "He said he was going to fix it."

She gasped and focused on Rob. "He said he was going to find a way so he wouldn't cause us any more pain."

Becky gulped and stared at Sheila. "He knew he was going to do this, didn't he Sheila?" She held back a sob. "Do you think that's what he meant?"

Sheila was on her feet and around the table. She grabbed onto Becky and held her face against her breast. She cooed and rocked the two children backwards and forwards in her embrace. "I think so, honey. I think he did it this way because he felt like he had no other. I think he did it because he loved you both so much. He wanted to stop hurting you and most of all I think he wanted to put an end to his own anguish."

Rob sat still and watched his mother cradle the girl he loved. She was the most amazing woman. He could see she was exactly what Becky and Linc needed right at this moment. Rob looked across the table at his father. He felt completely helpless not knowing what to say or how to comfort Linc and Becky.

Michael pushed his chair back and stood up. He jerked his head at Rob to encourage him to follow. Michael could see Rob was struggling; he'd never needed to cope with a death before this.

They sat on the couch in the lounge room and waited. "Are you okay, son?"

"Yeah. Shit. I think so." Rob pushed his hands through his hair. "Why'd he do it? Did he leave a note?"

"No note." Michael sighed. "I think your mother's spot on about why he did it. He didn't want to hurt those kids any longer."

"What's gonna happen now, Dad?"

"It'll all work out, Rob. Your mother and I will apply for permanent custody for Linc, and Becky if she wants but, she's over sixteen. When this has all settled we'll have a chat and see what they'd like us to do." Michael took a breath. "No matter what else happens those kids have got a place to live." He smiled. "Linc's got your mother's heart in the palm of his hand. She will never let anything happen to him that's not a positive. And... Becky. Well... we love her too." Michael murmured, "I've got a feeling we're going to be a big happy family in one way or another."

Rob smiled. "Yeah... me too, Dad. Me too."

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Please see Author's Note on the next page. ♥♥♥

Copyright © 2017 by Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Some places are real. All characters and incidents are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.

THANK YOU FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING AND NOT STEALING MY WORK ♥♥♥