Moving on (Waterloo Road)

Chapter 12

After dropping Nikki home, Rachel grabbed her stuff from the school before heading to the flat where Tom was in the kitchen; she put her bags down, took her coat off and got changed before sitting up to the table as Tom turned the food down and sat opposite her, holding her hand.

"You're back later than i expected" he said.

"I had some last minute stuff to deal with; i need to talk to you"

"What about?" he asked.

"But...before i do, you have to promise me that you'll try to understand..."

"Okay" he replied, unsure.

"There are some things about me you dont know and it'll explain why i've been helping that girl so much"

"I'm listening; whatever it is, it cant be that bad"

"Okay, erm, when i was about ten, my mom and dad adopted another girl the same age; it was the girl's mother"

"Oh, so..."

"That girl, Nikki, is my niece; my sister's husband wouldnt let me talk to her and i lost contact with her. When i heard what had happened to her, i knew it would only be a matter of time before the truth came out"

"Which explains why you are so determined to help her; why didnt you tell me before?"

"It was in the past but now, i have a responsibility to Nikki

"Responsibility how?"

"Her nan lives a couple of hours away and Nikki doesnt want to move from her school and her friends and me..."

"So you want her to move in?"

"She's my niece; i let her mom down. I cant, wont, do the same to her, she doesnt deserve that"

"Have you thought it through?"

"Tom, she's 15; she's lost her mom and dad and she's extremely vulnerable. Been in that house, she's scared; if i can help her, just a little bit, i need to know she's safe"

"I can understand that but, i mean, the spare room is full of junk and not even decorated"

"We can do it together this weekend; please Tom, i could really do with your support on this"

"You've got it then; maybe this will help you start to be happy again"

"Maybe it will; have you started the food yet?"

"Not really why?"

"Why dont we go out for dinner?"

"We only went out the other night"

"I know but we can go to the hardware store as well; and i was thinking of maybe dropping in on Nikki. Explaining our idea and she can have the weekend to think about it?"

Tom sighed.

"Okay, we'll go"

He turned the oven off before he and Rachel left; she drove to Nikki's where Tom stayed in the car as she got out. She knocked on the door and waited until Mrs James opened it; they looked at each other for a minute before they hugged.

"I'm glad it's out in the open"

"Me too Mary; hows Nikki doing?" Rachel asked as they shut the door and went in to the living room.

"Hasnt really said anything since she got back; where did you find her?" Mary asked as they sat down.

"The Rose Garden in the park"

"Lucy's favourite place"

"I know; i couldnt believe it when DI Ross phoned me. I hadnt spoke to her in a while..."