The Mighty Storm (53 page)

“
Hello, Trudy,” she says. “It
’
s so wonderful to see you again.” She puts her arm out for me, and I step out of my dad
’
s embrace and into hers.

She kisses my cheek and whispers, “Thank you.”

I give her an understanding smile as she releases me. Then she takes hold of Jake
’
s hand, and they start to walk into the crematorium together. I follow behind with my mum and dad.

Then Jake stops, pausing, he turns and waits for me, holding his free hand out for me to take.

I slip my hand into his, and we all go into the service together.

After the funeral we all have an early dinner together at our hotel
–
Jake, me, Susie, my mum and dad, Stuart and Dave.

Jake seems a little more relaxed at dinner. He
’
s currently talking guitars with my dad, and he looks happier than I
’
ve seen him in days.

The funeral was difficult and over quickly, thankfully. We were the only ones there. Paul had no one. No family left except for Jake. No real friends. No one who really cared about him.

I know I should feel sad at the thought, but I don
’
t. I hate him for what he did to Jake. And I never thought I would be happy that someone was dead, but I am, because now, maybe Jake can finally let him go for good. Let his past go once and for all.

There was no wake after the funeral, and this dinner most certainly isn
’
t one.

This dinner is for Jake to help lift his spirits. I
’
ve also got a little something planned for later which I
’
m hoping will put a smile back on his face, one that I hope will stay there for a long time to come.

Not long after dinner is finished, Susie, tired from her flight, tells us she
’
s going to retire early, which works perfectly for my plans for Jake.

My mum and dad decide to go home too, and Stuart goes for a drink in the hotel bar with Dave.

“
You want to join Stuart and Dave for a drink? Or just have an early night?” Jake asks, threading his fingers with mine, pulling me to his side as we walk back through the lobby, after seeing my mum and dad out of the hotel.

“
Neither. We
’
re doing something else tonight,” I say.

Stopping, I turn to face him.

“
We are?” His hands go to my hips, his head tilting to the side, assessing my face.

“
Ahum,” I nod, smiling.

“
What?”

“
That, my gorgeous boyfriend, is a surprise.” I take hold of his hand, leaving him wondering, and lead him to the lifts to take us to the car park, and to the waiting car which contains everything I need for tonight.

As it
’
s my surprise, and Jake has no idea where we
’
re going, I
’
m driving … and tonight I
’
m driving James Bonds car.

Aston Martin
’
s are Jake
’
s favourite car, hence the hire for our stay. And I
’
m so totally flooring it on the motorway.

I honestly didn
’
t know it was possible to feel sexy driving a car. But I do right now. I feel like I
’
m a model in an advert or something.

It
’
s so cool. And I keep wanting to let out little squeals of excitement, but of course I won
’
t, because that would be weird, and also a little inappropriate considering Jake just buried his dad a few hours ago, or cremated him or whatever.

“
So you won
’
t tell me where we
’
re going?” Jake asks, as I push the car up to eighty-five.

I don
’
t get to drive very often, and I have never driven a car as amazing as this one, so I
’
m totally making the most of it.

“
Nope, it
’
s a surprise.”

“
I thought you didn
’
t like surprises?”

Keeping my eyes on the dark road ahead, I say, “I don
’
t like receiving them. I never said anything about giving them.”

“
Touché,” he laughs.

There
’
s only so long I can keep it a surprise before he guesses where it is we
’
re going, as he keeps looking at the bloody road signs. I should have had the foresight to bring a blind fold with me.

Jake, in a blindfold, totally at my mercy. Hmm, I
’
m liking the sound of that. Maybe later.

As I see the sign post signalling my turn to the place we
’
re going, I slide a glance at him, seeing the look on his face, and he looks happy.

He turns to me, smiling widely.
“
You
’
re taking me to Lumb Falls?”

“
I am.” I give him another quick glance, a little smile of my own forming.

Jake reaches his hand over and puts it on my thigh. “Are you going to let me do dirty things to you while we
’
re there?”

“
Well, I was planning on doing dirty things to you, actually.” I bite down on my lip, giving him another quick glance.

“
Have I told you just how much I love you?” He slides his hand a little higher up my thigh, fingers inching my dress up.

Heat pools in my tummy.

“
You have.” I swat his hand away, grinning. “But behave yourself pervy, or you
’
ll get no dirty tonight at all. I
’
m trying to drive James Bonds car here if you don
’
t mind.” I put my best prim and proper teasing voice on.

“
Yes, ma
’
am,” he says, resting his hands back on his lap, grinning back at me.

He looks so free in this moment, and it makes my heart swell.

Tonight is going to be so much fun, I just know it. I knew bringing him here was the right thing to do.

I park the car up near the Falls. Climbing out, I go straight to the boot, and open it up.

I get the picnic box and cooler out which Stuart helped me get ready earlier on.

I hand the cooler to Jake, as he meets me around the back of the car.

Keeping hold of the picnic box, I grab the blanket, shut the boot and lock the car up.

Jake follows behind me, taking the picnic box from my hand, leaving me with just my bag and the blanket to carry as I navigate our way to the shore of the Falls in the darkness.

When we reach our destination, I set the blanket down and retrieve the lantern that I packed into the picnic box.

“
Can I borrow your lighter, baby?”

Jake crouches beside me, handing me his lighter.

I light the candle in the lantern and set it down beside the blanket, then hand his lighter back to him.

Taking it from me, Jake pulls me to him and starts to kiss me.

He eases me back onto the blanket, his tongue roaming my mouth, meeting with mine, stroking it.

Being back here with him, kissing me in the dark like this, with only the sound of the rushing falls around us, feels amazing.

“
Thank you,” he murmurs.

“
What for?” I push my fingers into his lovely thick hair.

“
For this, bringing me here … for being you.”

“
You like?” I check.

“
I love. We should come back here once a year. Make it our thing. It is our place after all.”

“
Once a year it is.”

He takes my face in his hands. “Just like this, Tru, late at night, just you and me, alone. No one around for miles.”

I nod my agreement. Jake kisses me once more, lightly on the lips, then moves off me, and lies down beside me, flat on his back.

Feeling content, I stare up at the night sky, with its gentle smattering of stars and bright glowing moon.

Jake lets out a light sigh.

Instantly, I know his mind and mood have shifted elsewhere, and I think I know where to.

Maybe bringing him here to Lumb Falls hasn
’
t been as effective as I had hoped.

I can almost feel his thoughts pouring out of his mind. I want to ask him what
’
s wrong, but I know with Jake it
’
s best to wait until he
’
s ready to talk.

“
You called my
mom and asked
her to come didn
’
t you?” He turns his head to the side, looking at me.

Truth or denial.

Denial.

I want him to believe she came off her own back.

“
No,” I shake my head, blinking.

“
Tru…” He gives me the
‘
I know you did
’
look.

Biting my bottom lip, I release my sigh out through my nose. “How did you know?” I concede. “Did your mum tell you?”

He shakes his head, no. “I just know you.”

“
Are you angry with me?” I screw my face up.

“
No of course not.” He looks surprised.

“
Are you angry with your mum?”

He presses his lips together and shakes his head.

No, he
’
s not angry, he
’
s disappointed, and that
’
s worse. Way worse.

“
She didn
’
t realise how much it was affecting you, Jake. The instant I told her, she came off the phone and booked the next available flight to Manchester.”

Turning away from me, he looks up and the sky. I hear him exhale.

“
He tried to rape her that night.” His voice is so quiet in the night air.

I turn on my side, facing him. “Your dad?”

He nods.

“
He was drunk and high, he
’
d been out gambling, fuckin’ around like normal … he
’
d been gone for weeks.”

“
I remember,” I breathe.

“
I liked it when he wasn
’
t there. I always liked it best when he was off on one of his benders.”

“
I know.” I put my hand on his chest over his heart.

“
And that night he rolled home, broke, wanting money off mom like usual. It was late, but I was still awake. We
’
d been watching a movie together
–
I can
’
t even remember which one now, but she sent me to my room the second she heard his key go in the lock. She told me to lock myself in my bedroom and to not come out no matter what. I mean
–
what kid has to have a lock on their bedroom door,
you know
?” He laughs, but there
’
s no humour there.

“
I didn
’
t want to leave her with him, but I did as I was told. I could hear them fighting downstairs. He wanted money and she didn
’
t have any to give him. Then he started beating her, like he
’
d done so many times before, and I could hear it and I just wanted it to stop, Tru. And I just knew this time was worse
–
I don
’
t know how, I just knew.” He drags his hands through his hair.

“
Then I heard mom running up the stairs, trying to get away from him. He was yelling, and I could hear her screaming out on the landing, and I just couldn
’
t take it anymore
–
I just wanted to help her, I wanted him to stop hurting her. So I came out of my bedroom, and he had her there on the floor, and … she was covered in blood
–
her face was a mess, I barely recognised her and
–”
He pauses.

My heart is aching as I look at him, seeing him reliving that moment in his mind.

He turns his head and meets my eyes. “I saw the fear in her eyes, Tru. I
’
ll never forget that look
–
she was terrified for me and for her. Horrified that I
’
d seen it
–
seen what he was trying to do to her. I was only nine, but I knew enough to understand what was happening. Then I just started yelling at him to stop. I tried to grab him and pull him off her. But I was nine, and he was stronger than me. He just grabbed hold of me and tossed me aside like I was a fuckin
’
toy
–
a fuckin
’
inconvenience. We were near the top of the stairs, and I went down the full flight.”

I briefly close my eyes, and feel a tear run down the side of my face, soaking into my hair.

“
I don
’
t remember much after that. I just remember hearing my mom screaming for help. Then the next thing I knew your dad was beside me, and I could hear the sirens coming, and your dad just kept saying, over and over,
‘
I
’
m so sorry, Jake. I
’
m so sorry I didn
’
t stop this from happening to you.
’
”