Because I’ll flip my house and use the money to follow you to Australia if you can’t stay here.
Chapter 15
Oakley
Ileft the hospital after spending just one night there. It was still one night longer than I wanted. I’d had my own room, but it was still too bright and too noisy to relax. Couple that with awful hot chocolate and I’d been counting down the minutes until I was able to go home.
I returned home to Ali’s in the afternoon with a bunch of leaflets about panic attacks, PTSD—which I didn’t think I had—and concussions.
My head was honestly okay, the ache barely bothered me, and I didn’t really feel that sick anymore.
The only thing I felt was humiliation over collapsing in court. What was worse was that it would back up the defence’s argument. Or it might just make the jury see how scared I was of my dad.
It could go either way and all I could do was hope that it went my way.
Cole ran his fingers through my hair from where he sat an inch away. He’d not stopped touching me. I wasn’t complaining. “Are you okay?”
“I think I’m going to get a tattoo sayingI’m fineon my forehead.”
He turned his nose up playfully. “I’d preferProperty of Cole.”
“I’m sure you would. If I was paying to be repeatedly stabbed by a tiny needle, I’d get my one true love’s name. Ryan Reynolds.”
“I’m going to brush right past that. Feed me.”
I nudged his arm. “Hey, I just got home from the hospital.Youshould bemyservant.”
Chuckling, he stood up and pressed a kiss to my forehead as he went. “What do you want, then? I’ll get you anything.”
“Anything?” I raised my eyebrow. “What if I want KFC?”
He shrugged lazily. “Then, I’ll go get KFC.”
Pulling the fleece blanket over my lap, I smiled at the perfect man in front of me. “You’re sweet, but I think I’d prefer to keep you here. Maybe a cheese sandwich or something?”
“Mayo, no butter. Coming up.” He saluted and walked into the kitchen, making my heart swell.
He was the best boyfriend on the planet, and I was so lucky to have him.
I tugged the blanket up to chin the way I used to when I was little and needed protecting. Stupid really. Dad never physically abused me, so I didn’t need it.
Briefly I wondered what he thought about me passing out. Linda had been in touch but not to tell us that he’d changed his plea. So, obviously he cared about as much as I thought.
Soon, I would have to step back into that witness box, and I needed to find a way to do that. It was why I’d called my therapist from my hospital bed this morning.
She let me stay on the line as an emergency session rather than making an appointment for a zoom. Talking to her, like always, had given me fresh perspective and strength.
There was nothing I could do about what happened, but Icould ensure I kept it together to send them to prison from here on out.
I was going to go back in there, breathe, hold my head up high, and tell them the truth. After that, it would be completely out of my hands.
My phone rang in the kitchen, and just as I was about to get up, Cole brought it through.
“Miles,” he said, handing it to me. “Who’s Miles?”
“Mum,” I replied, knowing he’d need more than that later, and put the phone to my ear. “Hi, Miles.”
Cole’s shoulders lost the tension, as if he’d thought I had a secret boyfriend in Australia or something. Silly, jealous boy.
