“I’d be doubtin’ we’d ever met before, but I knew ya ma well. She and I met at the fair, mercy, maybe thirty year ago?”
“Aye,” I replied, gaze narrowing with suspicion. “And?”
The woman’s face grew grave. “I’d be sorry t’ be hearin’ ‘bout ya ma’s passin’. Terrible business, that.”
I felt the blood drain from my face, nausea overcoming me once again. “Ma’s dead?”
The woman’s face crumpled with horror. “Y’didn’t know? Ah, son, I’m sorry, now. I didn’t realise—”
I sat down heavily on the tow bar of the caravan, scrubbing a hand through my hair. “We’d not be keepin’ in touch, like. Shite… What happened? D’ya know?”
The woman hesitated before answering. She knew and by the expression on her face, it was something terrible.
“Spit it out, now,” I snapped. “I deserve t’ know.”
“Ya da. He’d too many drinks in him last time he was here. Beat ya ma senseless, so he did. The ambulance crew did all they could, but it was a bleed on the brain, see. There was nothin’ they could do.”
I was numb, my ears ringing. Da. Da hadkilledher. I’d always known he was capable of it, but…
“And Da?”
“The filth picked him up. Haven’t seen nor heard a peep since, now.”
I ground my teeth together. Prison was too good for that fucking animal. I dropped my head into my hands, throat aching as I fought against my tears.
“Listen, I just came by t’ tell ya that ya da’s van and the caravan are still hitched up over at the other site. Logic says they belong t’ yourself now, aye?”
I swiped my nose on my sleeve. “Aye, guess so.”
“I’m sorry t’ be the one t’ tell ya, son,” she murmured, reaching out and squeezing my shoulder. “Ya ma was a good woman. Such a wee shame she married a monster.”
Wasn’t that the truth. I nodded, muttering my farewells to the woman. I sat there on the towbar, staring into space for an age and eventually, I spotted Declanmaking his way over to me. His face was drawn with worry, knowing something was wrong without me having to say a word.
“‘Bout ya? What’s the craic?”
“Me ma’s dead,” I said, voice cracking. “One o’ her wee mates from around these parts just told me, like. I hadn’t heard, yourself?”
“Nah, feck. I’d have told ya if I had, now.” Declan ran a hand through his hair. “Shite. I’m sorry, fella. What happened?”
“Me da.”
I didn’t need to say anything else. Declan knew exactly what I was saying. He froze, the same rage and disgust rolling off him that I felt from myself.
“Thatfeckin’prick,” he hissed. “Y’coddin’ me?”
I shook my head, staring at the gravel under my feet. I sucked in a breath, sitting up a little straighter. “His wheels and the caravan are still here – over at the other hitchin’ spot, so I’m told, now.”
Declan was silent for a long moment. “Y’wanna swing by and pick it up? She’s yas now, aye?”
When I didn’t respond, my mate leant his shoulder against the caravan.
“Or we say ‘feck it’ and I’ll help ya torch it,” he continued, voice low. “Whatever y’wanna do, fella.”
I had to admit the idea of burning every last scrap to the ground was appealing, but somehow it felt like a cop out. I needed to face those demons. I wanted to return to the place it all started and make my peace with it. After that? I’d see how I felt. Maybe a wee bonfire would still be on the cards.
I got to my feet and met Declan’s gaze. “Let’s go take a wee look, now. Y’drivin’?” I tossed him the keys to the van, before turning and beginning to unhook the caravan from the tow bar.
“Aye, no bother, fella.”
