Blood Secrets

CHAPTER 9

BEFORE/ROB

I can't believe this is really happening. Here I am lying on a sofa I haven't been in for years, more than a decade, in the same house as my baby girl. I guess I can't really say that, she's definitely not a baby anymore. I still cannot believe how big she's gotten! She looks so much like her mother. She's beautiful and I can't be more proud but I won't take that for granted, never. She couldn't be more perfect, she's tough and so strong, there's no better way to find that out than in the situation I put her in.

It's a relief, though. Maybe, knowing now she finally knows the truth, I can get a good night's sleep.

I toss and turn side from side to side, trying to find the right position on this goddamned couch.

"Hey? You awake, man?" Great. Andy. Just what I need, his annoying voice nagging me at 1 in the morning.

I sit up and face the sleepy zombie in the doorway. "Yeah, I'm up. What you doin' here?"

"1. I live here 2. I wanted to have a word" Smartass.

"Right. Well, shoot then." I go over to the sink and pour myself a glass of water. It's been a long day but apparently unknown forces are determined to make it longer.

"What do we do now? I mean, she knows the truth which means she's in danger, knowingly or unknowingly so we have yo get her away. Away from here to some place safe." I think through Andy's proposition. It makes complete sense but should I take her away? Detached from the place she calls home and all that she's grown comfortable around?

No, Andy's right. Any attachments here need to be sacrificed and comfort is a luxury we can't afford.

"I agree. I can take her to the old cabin in Scotland me and my parents used to go to. before you ask, no, Valerie doesn't know the place exists. There's just one problem."

"What?" I guess I'm gonna have to tell him.

"Just don't kick off, okay?" Knowing Andy, which I do, he'll lose it.

He shuffles on his feet and agrees. " 'Course I won't. Now, what is it?" , Co use you wont (!) Liar.

"Well... I came here with a fake passport, obviously, so that nobody could track me and I've had a long time to get prepared. So we can leave first thing going tomorrow. I mean today because... I've already made a fake passport for Emma."

Oh great. I can already see his eyes widening and the textbook Andy vein popping out from his forehead. Valerie used to call it that because she was addicted to that show: Friends or whatever. Sitting down, I braced myself.

"You did what?! Without my permission? How could you just decide to make Emma Emma a fake passport without telling me? What, so you just thought that you just take her wherever you want?" Dude, just shut up.

"Look, look! Calm down!" I put my hands up and stand up. "I know I should've told you but I just wanted to be prepared. Besides, I neve thought I'd need it." Looking at Andy, I arched my eyebrows and calmed him down.

"I'm sorry, ok? but you can't take your real one either, what about your fake one?" If Andy took his real passport, she might find us rendering out efforts useless.

"Um..." Why is he staying at the floor? "I kinda forgot about it and it's expired now..." What? What an idiot! We'd arranged always to keep them up to date, the one thing we actually agreed on.

Stay calm.

"Ok..." I say through gritted teeth. "So, even though you promised me you'd keep your back up updated in case you needed it for emergencies because it's it's a smart move quote unquote. And now you're telling me you couldn't be bothered to keep it? Even though my daughters safety is involved?"

"Look, I'm sorry, alright? My bad..." Wow, he's such an idiot but there's not much I can do bout that right now.

Sighing, I asked the obvious: "So, now what are we gonna do?"

"I'll have to get a new fake one..." Wow, Andy you're a frickin' genius (!)

"Well, you of all people know that takes 3 days; we might not have that kinda time on our hands." I put my hands on my face, allowing myself to concentrate.

Michael

"What did you say?" Oh, I hadn't realised I said that out loud.

"Michael. He's an old friend, the only one left we can trust fully and he owes me a favour, a big one. Making you a passport quickly should cover it."

I hate thinking about that guy. I don't even know why I call him my friend after everything and can I even trust him? but he owes me and I can finally use that.

"Cool. Gimme an address, I'll go while you and Emma make your way to the airport." I nod to show my agreement. I really hope this works and Emma agrees.

"We'll leave at 7, now got to bed!" This dude better leave, I'm knackered.

He nods and finally goes away. Today has been crazy, but tomorrow is gonna be worse. I need a good night's sleep, but something's bugging me.

Here I am, finally able to overcome all those sleepless nights because I'm at ease knowing that, finally, Emma knows everything yet I can't sleep. What about Emma? She's the exact opposite - she could sleep on her bed safe all these years. While I'm comfortable, is she lying awake right now? This is killing me. I have to know.

I open the door as lightly as I can, at least the creak isn't that loud. It's now just open enough for me too see her. She's sound asleep, her golden hair sprawled all over her pillow and her leg sticking out her blanket. I swear, she looks like an angel.

I think back to the night I left her - the guilt, the pain. She was so little and so confused. I hate myself for what I did and I think about it everyday but I did it for her. As ironic as that sounds.

Her mother had found out I'd been poking my nose in and had found me.

She sent men to break into our house and trash everything. They broke vases, glass, overturned sofas and smashed our TV. But none of that mattered. what scared me the most was that I wasn't there and Emma was. My little angel was terrified and I wasn't there to protect her. I was out impersonating a police officer trying out find answers and Valerie knew that. My own wife did it because she knew exactly how to scare me and I realised then that no one around me was safe.

That's why I left. Thank god Emma didn't and still doesn't remember that night, but I'll never forget.

Yet here I am, but not for long. I creep in and stand above her protectively.

"No-one's ever gonna hurt you again, Princess." I whispered. More to myself than her. "Good night." I kissed her forehead and had the best nights sleep in years.

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