Right. Our lives hadn’t been ‘normal’ for so long that dysfunction was normal to us. “Do you guys want to talk about it though?”
Mum shook her head. “Not until we hear from Linda. Fancy a pyjama sofa day?”
“No chick flicks,” Jasper said. “Unless it’s that’s dress one. That chick is fit.”
“27 Dresses, and you know you’re a sucker for chick flicks. You loved Wild Child. Although I think that’s like teen flick or something—”
Jasper threw a tea towel in my face. I managed to grab it right before it made contact.
“Shut up, Oakley!”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Mum said, pinching his cheeks. “There’s nothing wrong with being sensitive and in touch with your feminine side.”
“I’m going out.”
“No, don’t!” I grabbed his arm. “We’ll stop now.”
He frowned. “We’re watching Die Hard, and I’m drinking beer.”
Mum, Jasper and I spent all morning watching films and chatting about everything that wasn’t trial related.
“What time is Cole coming, babe? Oh, never mind.”
I watched Mum walk to the door and my heart flipped. He was here already. I jumped up and ran past her. Mum laughed and went back to the sofa. I ripped the door open and pulled him inside.
“Hi!”
“Whoa! Happy to see me?”
“Are you gonna call Linda now?” Jasper asked, not giving us any time to catch breath.
I chewed on my lip. Did I want to do this now? I didn’t have a choice, but I didn’t want to do it in front of Mum and Jasper. The way Mum was staring at the floor told me she wasn’t ready for news yet.
“Yes, but I’m going upstairs to do it.”
“You don’t have to…” Yes, I do, Mum.
“I’ll tell you everything after. I just want some privacy.”
She nodded and smiled half-heartedly. Her body relaxed. “Okay.”
I lead Cole to Lizzie’s room and shut the door behind us. This was definitely what I needed, too. Making the call away from Mum and Jasper was for the best.
“You ready?” Cole asked, gently pulling me down on the bed and rubbing my back.
“Yeah,” I whispered and dialled Linda’s number. Waiting for her to answer the phone was almost painful. I held my breath. Please say he’s changed his plea to guilty.
“Hello, Oakley,” Linda said on the fourth ring.
“Hi, Linda. How’s it going?”
She took a deep breath, which didn’t sound positive.
“He is pleading not guilty. Apparently, he knew nothing of the images and contacts on his email. His internet history was deleted daily, which he is saying he had no knowledge of either.”
“Wait. Everything was deleted? There’s no evidence?”
“Don’t worry. The police retrieved it. There is no arguing it was there, just who put it there. Please don’t panic, the trial has only just begun. I’ve hardly even started, and we have you and the other women to take the stand yet.”
There were many, many more girls out there, but only me and four others wanted to give evidence. One had written a statement that would be read out, but it wasn’t as useful to the prosecution’s case as being there in person. I couldn’t blame her though – I nearly hadn’t come myself.
I nodded, even though Linda couldn’t see me. I felt numb.
“Okay.”
“Sorry, but I’ve got to run, Oakley. I’ll call you tomorrow, but in the meantime if you have anything you want to ask, I’m free from six tonight.”
“Alright. Thank you, Linda.”
“Any time. Bye.”
“Bye.” I hung up and stared at the phone. How could he even pretend that he had nothing to do with it? I turned to Cole and tried to tell him what Linda had said, but no words came out when I opened my mouth. Letting go of my hand, he wrapped both arms around me.
“It’s okay. I heard what she said.”
My world felt as if it was shrinking.
“He’s going to get off, isn’t he?”
“No!” Cole was adamant. “No matter what happens at the trial he won’t get away with it.”
Pulling back slightly, I looked at him to get him to explain exactly what that meant.
“Don’t worry about anything.”
“You’re not doing anything stupid if he gets off.”
He smiled and stroked my cheek. “But it wouldn’t be stupid, Oakley.”
“Right, so you going to prison because of him wouldn’t be stupid? That wouldn’t be throwing your life away?”
I wanted to slap some sense into him. How could Cole think doing anything to harm Max would be justice when he would be the one that got locked up? I didn’t want anyone else to have their life ripped apart because of my father.
“I don’t think you have any idea how much I love you.”
Pushing his chest away from me, I stood up and glared.
“Great. Thanks for loving me so much! Send me a postcard from prison!”
Cole sighed and stood up. “You’re overreacting.”
“How am I overreacting? That’s what happens when you murder someone, idiot!”
“Oakley, will you calm down?”
“I’ll calm down when you stop being dumb!”
“I’m not being dumb.”