Thirty Eight
Mark headed back to the hospital armed
with Christian’s release papers. He’d
pulled a few strings but what the hell; he figured the state owed it to him. He’d finally called Hollie to find out how
she was doing and to tell her he’d be there soon.
It was Christian’s mother who met him, a
worried look on her pale face.
“Mr Read, I
thought you’d gone already?”
“I had something
to do and please call me Mark, how is he?”
“He’s a bit sore
but otherwise okay, he’s gotten it into his head that as soon as he gets
better, they’ll cart him off to jail again”
Mark smiled
broadly. “Is that so, well perhaps these
will help”
Inger took the
papers from him, “What are they?”
“They’re his
release papers”
She glanced up to
where he stood, tears springing to her eyes.
“Release, you
mean, you mean it’s over, he’s free?”
“Yup, well
they’ll be a hearing of course but that’s just routine.”
“Oh Mr Read,
Mark, I don’t know how to thank you.” She said, he took her in his arms and
hugged her close.
“Hay I’m just
doing my job. So you can tell him to hurry and get well.”
She nodded “Mark,
would you tell him, he might not believe me”
“Sure, d’you want
me to tell him now?”
“Please”
Mark took a few paces away and peered
into the room, Christian lay hooked up to a machine, his eyes closed. He gently knocked on the door and waited for
an answer. Christian looked at him then
smiled, “Hey Mark, what you still doing here?” he inquired tiredly, Mark came
into the room holding the papers in his hands, “I came back to give you these”
Christian looked down at them, “What are they?” Mark smiled broadly.
“They’re your
ticket outa jail buddy”
Christian tried
to sit up, “Hay easy, easy” Mark urged.
“They’re my
what?”
“They’re signed
papers demanding your immediate release form jail.
“What, you mean
it’s over, it’s really over?”
“Yeah, so once
your well enough we can make a start on those claims”
“Mark, I don’t
want anything from the state, I just want my daughter, can you help me get her
back?”
Mark looked down
at him, “Yeah, I’ll help you.”
Christian smiled,
“Chris, Chris, Mark is it true? Is he
really free?”
“Yeah, he’s free
all right”
Kate suddenly
embraced him. “Thanks, thanks so much”
she said.
Mark let out a
deep sigh, “Hey I gotta get going, Hollie will be waiting”
Kate walked him
out into the hallway, “Thanks so much” she said, Mark looked back to where
Christian lay, he was looking at the papers and smiling, “Take care of him,
he’s had a tough time.” He said, Kate nodded as she to looked at him, he was
reading them over and over again. As if
trying to believe it was really over.
A few weeks later Christian left hospital
and was immediately accosted by reporters.
“What? What’s all this?” he said, looking alarmed, “The press have
gotten wind of your plight and are eager for a statement.” Mark told him,
Christian was in a daze, camera’s flashed and microphones were thrust into his
face as he was ushered to Mark’s car.
“We just want a
statement Christian” someone called.
“What do you
think about the police cover up Mr Ingebrigtsen?”
“Are you gonna
sue Chris?”
It was as if
everyone wanted a piece of him, like they were his best friends all of a
sudden.
“Come on let’s
get you home” Mark said, as they pushed their way though the crowd. “Chris, what about Jessie?” Christian stopped
dead. “With all due respect, Mr
Ingebrigtsen has just gotten outa the hospital; he will make a statement in due
course.” Mark said firmly.
“They know about
Jessie?”
“Get in the car
Chris.”
He opened the
door and got quickly inside.
“They know about
my daughter?”
Mark made sure he
was safely inside before driving off.
Reporters running along after them.
“Mark, do you
know where Jessie is? I saw her but she
was in school at the time.”
Mark didn’t want
to lie but felt he had to, for Christian’s sake. He knew if he told him the truth right away,
there was no telling what he would do.
“I’m not sure;
the child welfare department are looking into the case.”
“Child welfare,
why? Is something wrong?”
“No no, it’s just
routine.”
They travelled out of the city and along
the old costal road, Christian taking it all in, it felt good to be free. But was he really? Part of him still felt trapped. Perhaps he’d never fully be free. Not until he lay some ghosts to rest. And especially not until his daughter was
back with him.
Mark pulled up just in front of
Christian’s home, it still looked the same.
He sat in the passenger seat just staring at the door. Closed against the world. “Roxi’s gone to a motel for a while. Until you decide what you wanna do.” Mark
said quietly. Christian bowed his head,
“She always loved the ocean.” He said suddenly, Mark looked a little puzzled,
“Roxi?”
“Jessie, I use to
take her for walks along the beach, she’d let out a little squeal whenever the
water rushed over her little feet. But
it still wouldn’t stop her going back for more.” Mark smiled, one thing was
clear, Christian sure loved his daughter.
“We’ll get her back Chris.” He said, Christian looked to where Mark’s
hand was now on his shoulder. “Thanks
bud, I hope so, I really do.”
“Will you be
okay, I wish you had let me call you Mom or Kate?”
Christian shook
his head, “I wanna be on my own for a while.” He explained, Mark nodded
understandably as he watched him get out of the car. “Take care, I’ll call you in a day or two”
Christian smiled as he watched Mark drive off.
After a while he went inside, taking the
key from under a plant pot, just where he’d left it all those years
before. He wondered if Kate or Roxi even
knew it was there. He let himself
inside, nothing had changed. Except the
décor. Roxi had had it painted a few years
back, with his blessing of course. The
memories flooded back as he went from room to room. He pushed open the last bedroom door and
almost wept on seeing the cot still there.
Blankets still covering it, “Oh Jess” he said out loud, he walked from
the room and out into the bitterly cold November chill, suddenly he needed air,
he smiled as he looked out into the ocean and imagined himself walking bare
foot along the beach, Jessica’s tiny hand in his, just as she’d done so many
times before….
The sky was a deep shade of blue, Christian always took his daughter for
a walk just before he dropped her off at day care and that day was no
different,, this was their what the experts would confirm as being their
quality time together and in a way, he had always felt it was. “Daddy ‘ook” she said as she pointed to yet
another wave, “It’s a wave darling” he said as he swooped her up into his
strong arms.
“’ave’s Daddy?”
“Yup, you like the beach Jessie?”
“Ess Daddy me ikes I ‘aves”
He chuckled and kissed her little cheek.
“Jessie ‘ants to go in I pool Daddy?”
Christian sniggered, “That ain’t a pool
Jess, it’s the ocean.”
“Ocean” the child repeated, pointing her
little finger towards it.
“Jessie ‘ants to go in ocean”
“I know sweetie, but Daddy’s gotta go to
work.”
“Ocean…” she begun to cry as she was taken
away from it.
Christian blinked away tears, he’d taken
her away from the ocean that day, just as he’d been taken away from her. He had a lot of lost time to make up and the
sooner the better. He sank dejectedly to his knees and for the first time in
years the tears flowed, and suddenly they just wouldn’t stop. “Noooooooo” he sobbed, rocking back and
forth. “Noooooo, Jess. Jess.
JESSIE!!!!!!!!!” he suddenly yelled as the waves crashed against his
body.
The state had a lot to answer for; they
hadn’t just taken away his liberty, but his life. He had changed; he’d never be the same man as
he’d been all those years ago.
“Jessie”
If you want more why not check out the sequel The Last Goodbye.
I'd just like to thank everyone who read this, especially Sammie and Lisa but most of all I'd like to thank Lyl for reviewing thanks D. and not forgetting my two most avid readers Lou and Hay who moaned and moaned for more chaps lol thanks you two. I'll get onto finishing the sequel now that the website is finished lol
Ok enough rambling
Take care everyone
Kaz
Xxx