Things were normal, finally. In the sixteen days since Cole was released, I spent time with my family, went shopping, played princesses with Leona, and spent a lot of time with Cole at his new house. He had moved in two days ago and loved having his own space. Well, apparently he loved having me ‘invade’ his own space.
Since Max and Frank were locked away, I felt free. The memories couldn’t be locked away, but I was doing much better. It would take time, still. I had a lot to work through, but I could finally feel myself healing.
After having a long conversation with Cole about the things in my old life that I missed, I decided it was time to revisit gymnastics. Cole wanted to come, but he was working, and I wanted to go alone, anyway. There was no need for anyone to escort me everywhere any more. I felt safe being alone for the first time in fifteen years.
Even the press had gotten a little bored of me. Well, most of them had. A few still hung around occasionally, and I was contacted almost daily asking for my story. But phone calls I could ignore easily enough. I was able to leave the house without people running at me.
I parked Mum’s hire car as close to the door as I could and walked through the familiar building. Apart from new posters and flyers pinned to the blue boards on the walls, everything was the same. Even the walls were still the same dull cream with dark marks and chips in the paint.
Of course, everyone in my old gymnastics group had left, so the people would be different, with the exception of my old coach, Marcus. I was so eager to see him. I couldn’t stop smiling. It had been far too long.
“Oakley!” Marcus shouted. A grin spread across his tanned face as he jogged over to me. His crushing arms held me against his hard chest. “I’m so glad you came. How’re you doing?”
“I’m great. Having breathing issues right at this second, but great.” He chuckled and loosened his arms a fraction. “How about you?” It was really, really good to see him again.
Marcus pulled grinned wider. “I’m good. The gym’s not doing too well though. Mary’s moving so we have no one to teach the under-fives on Tuesday and Thursdays. So I was wondering…” he trailed off, pouting his lips, the way he did when he wanted something.
Wow, he wasted no time at all, but then he always did get straight to the point. “I would love to, Marcus, but I don’t think I can.”
“No! You’re going back? Screw Australia! Stay here with Cole and teach the kids. Oakley, you’ve got nothing to run from any more and a few huge reasons to stay. You know you have.”
I knew that, but I was the one that made Mum and Jasper move half way across the world four years ago. How could I tell them to go home without me? Mum had Miles now too. “I know.”
“Just think about it. I need to replace Mary in four weeks. I’ll keep the job open to you for two and then I’ll have to advertise.”
“Thanks, Marcus. I’ll definitely think about it.” I was already thinking about it. Staying here was a possibility now. I had enough money to support myself for probably five or six months but after that, two days’ work wouldn’t be enough.
“I’m sure you’ll make the right decision,” he replied, giving me a cheeky school boy wink. “Wanna get a drink? I have a while before practice.”
The drinks in the canteen were disgusting, but I actually missed that too. “Drinking that crap again?” I smiled and linked my arm through his. “You bet!”
Marcus nudged me and nodded to a table. “You sit, I’ll buy the liquid shit.”
I sat in my favourite spot, by the window. Marcus sat down and handed me a hot chocolate; he’d remembered my drink of choice.
I wrapped my hand around the mug. “Thanks. Hey, you remember when Silas broke his wrist doing a backflip off that table?”
Marcus laughed. “Yeah. What an idiot. You just stood there looking at him like did he really just do that. He was too cocky.”
I smirked. “He wasn’t after that. Anyway, so what’s going on? Why are things so bad for the gym?”
He sighed. “I don’t know. Something’s going on, but no one seems to know a damn thing, or they do they’re not saying. Some guys in fancy suits have been wondering around. I think the place is in trouble.” And that would be why he desperately wanted the gymnastics to work, he was scared the business was in trouble.
“Have you asked Gregory?” Gregory was the owner of the centre, and a total idiot. He cared about money, not people. I’d always hated him. There was trouble with him every year about raising the prices too high, and none of the extra money ever went into improving the facilities.
“I did. He made it sound like it was all in my head. Of course, he wouldn’t tell me the truth. He’s said so much bullshit in his time, I don’t even think even he knows what the truth is. Enough of that crap though. Has the media circus died down?”
“Took a little while, but I think they’ve finally realised I don’t want to talk about it. Well, most of them, some still hang around.”
Marcus nodded. “It’ll stop before too long. Don’t let the pap be a factor in deciding where to live though.” He thumped his heart and said, “Team England.”