The Mouse
Page 26
“Absolutely not,” he replied firmly.
Steph looked down at Sunny, who said in a slightly shaky but calm voice: “It was. On Tuesday after English. Annabel and Simon were both there when I made my complaint.”
“What the hell is this?” A livid Mr Henderson shouted at Hillingsworth, who had gone very red in the face. Mr Cresants froze, his eyes bugging out like a Pekinese.
Sunny was starting to feel progressively less fragile and was getting angrier and angrier.
Hillingsworth cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I think we should all calm down here. There’s no need to involve any outside authorities. We can all talk this through like responsible adults,” he added feebly, trying to ignore Mr Henderson’s angry chuntering.
“Mr Hillingsworth.” Steph’s voice could have cut glass; it was so sharp. “There has been a sexual assault here at your school. Are you going to call the police or not?”
The room went silent.
“Sexual assault?” Nurse Natalie’s voice echoed weakly from the back of the room.
Steph turned to Sunny. “Darling, did he hurt you?”
“Yes,” she replied automatically. “He forced my hands down by my sides and tried to kiss me, hard. My lips are bruised.”
“For God’s sake!” Mr Henderson exploded again.
“And when I tried to headbutt him away,” Sunny continued, “he carried on. He grabbed my boob, hard. It still hurts.” She hadn’t realized how painful it was until now; her mental anguish had eclipsed all her physical agony. Curiously she opened a button on her blouse and looked down her top, and gasped.
Steph, standing over her, and Nurse Natalie, craning her neck, saw the individual dark purple finger mark bruises circling the top of her breast. She turned back to the teachers and Jake’s parents. His mother had gone very white.
“Call the police. Now.” Steph demanded. And along with a shocked Nurse Natalie, she led Sunny from the room.
Chapter 27
Sunny let her stepmother lead her to her car and drove her slowly home. “I’ve just got to run next door to pick up Archie,” she said when they pulled into the driveway.
“That’s what I’d like,” Sunny said in a small voice. “An Archie hug.”
Steph looked at her sadly. “I’ll get him right now, and he’ll make you feel better.
Sunny caught Steph’s arm as she opened the car door and made to exit. “Steph – “
Her stepmother paused and looked at her quizzically.
“Thanks,” Sunny whispered finally. Steph gave her a smile.
“You’ll be alright, you know. People can always try and get you down, but as long as you’re strong on the inside, no one can hold you there,” Steph told her.
“Yeah, I get that. Jake is a jerk, and he’s just had a go at breaking me. But I won’t let him.”
“That’s my girl.”
“I’m not your girl,” Sunny smiled, teasing her. “Do you think Ben is going to head over to Jake’s house with a shotgun?”
“Your father is not that kind of man. Luckily, he knows that the women in his life can take care of themselves,” Steph replied in a haughty tone.
Sunny grabbed her bag and headed inside.
The afternoon sun was streaming through her windows in her bedroom, casting a brilliant light on the fuzzy rug in the center of the floor. Yanking off her school uniform, she pulled on some holey yoga pants and a stretchy white singlet. She curled up like a cat on her rug, letting the hot sunlight seep into her pores, imagining it bleaching away all the hurt she’d accumulated over the last day or so.
Slowly the turmoil in her mind eased, the hard, brittle thoughts that were stabbing at her mind and ricocheting through her body gradually began to become less dominant, and more neutral thoughts crept in. Faces swirling through her head triggered more gentle emotions, a more gentle ebb and flow of painful Hunter, angry Jake, curious Steph, heartbreaking Hunter, scrumptious Archie, loving Ben, indignant Jake, devastated Hunter.
And so on it went until the faces in her head became animated and began to do odd things, Steph brought in the washing but left Archie outside, when she went looking for her he was cuddled in Hunter’s arms, he was upset with her for letting Jake touch her and he yelled bizarre, angry things, but it was her face that was yelling and not Hunter’s face, he dissolved into nothing when she tried to touch him and say she was sorry.
The knock at the door came suddenly and jolted Sunny out of her dream; she shook off the unsettling feeling and groaned, stretching out on the floor.
“Yeah?” she called groggily.
Steph poked her head around the door. “It’s Annabel. Do you want to see her?”
Sunny struggled to sit upright, crossing her legs on the floor. Better get this over with. “Sure, send her up.”
Annabel charged in as soon as she heard Sunny’s acquiesce. Still dressed in her uniform, she strode into the room and settled herself gracefully in the lotus position on Sunny’s floor, facing her.
She regarded Sunny silently until she heard the door close.
“Well,” she said. “That escalated quickly.”
Sunny frowned. “You can say that again.”
Annabel bit her lip. “I’m sorry that you were attacked by that asshole,” she said frankly.
“Yeah, me too.”
“On the other hand, I am absolutely delighted that you split his lip.”
Sunny gave a grimace. “It’s not much consolation. I’m just glad I managed to get him off me.”
Annabel took a deep breath. “At least I don’t have to ask what happened. And you won’t have to tell your side of the story to anyone at all. The whole school saw Jake being led off in handcuffs. And Sophie De Burg’s already told everyone what happened.”
“How would she know?” Sunny was genuinely curious.
“Her mum was in there with you. The nurse.”
“Oh. Well, that’s a bonus. I’d hate to have to try and explain my side of the story. If no one believed me, that is.”
“Everyone believes you. There’s no bigger asshole than Jake,” Annabel said, and put her head to one side. “Well, maybe his dad. I think the whole school heard him screaming that he was going to sue everyone involved, the teachers, the school, the cops that were arresting his son…”
“I guess we know where he gets it from, then.”
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, that’s for sure.” Annabel looked at her friend carefully. “But this Jake thing is not the only bad thing that’s happened to you in the last twenty-four hours, is it?”
Sunny dropped her eyes. “Not by a long shot.” The tears that were always threatening to make an appearance took the opportunity while Sunny’s guard was down, and she started crying.
Still maintaining the lotus position, Annabel shuffled forward until her knees were touching Sunny’s, and she grabbed her hands. “Time wounds all heels, better to have lost than loved, something about cracked mirrors compared to hearts,” she intoned meaningfully.
Sunny giggled in spite of herself, wiping her tears and running nose with the back of her hands, and getting snot all over her face. “Ug, gross.” She turned and picked up a towel that was balled up near her bed, and rubbed her face with it.
Annabel ran an expert eye over her. “You’ll be right,” she said confidently. “I’m sure you’ll feel like shit for a while, but it will get better. I have no way of knowing this, of course, and I have no basis for comparison, but I’m sure your current heartbreak will seem petty and insignificant one day.”
“Geeze, Annabel, thanks. You’re like a soothing balm for the soul,” Sunny choked, half-laughing and crying at the same time, letting her friend pat her hand awkwardly until the hysteria subsided.
“Glad to help,” Annabel murmured, pulling a fresh tissue out.
Sunny blew her nose and shook her head. “Oh, I am not looking forward to school tomorrow!”
“You’re going?” Annabel was surprised.
“You’re probably right. And, on the bright side, no one will expect you to do the play now. In fact, I don’t think there’s even going to be a play anymore. Word on the street is Cresants will get fired over this.”
“Really?” Sunny’s eyes went wide. “That is an unexpected plus in a day full of minuses.”
“Hillingsworth summoned me into the office in fourth period to ask me about the time you talked to Cresants about Jake. To confirm that you made a complaint about his behaviour. This is before I even knew what had happened to you.”
“Oh!” Sunny had no idea Annabel would get involved.
“Of course, I told him what happened and it must have matched up with what Simon had told him, and what you said to him. His face was so red I thought it was going to implode.”
“Simon got dragged in too?”
“We were in different classes in fourth period; he went into Hillingsworth’s office before me. I saw him when he came out; he looked a little shell-shocked. He must be worried about you.”
“Aw. Tell him I appreciate the concern.”
“I would, but he’d disappeared when I came out. He wasn’t even in fifth period English. Must have used the trauma of the head’s office as an excuse to go home and play his Xbox.”
“What is it this time?”
“Art of War. He and his uncle are playing each other. Simon tells me he’s winning, which I don’t believe.”
They sat in silence for a few moments.
“Here,” Annabel pulled out a bar of chocolate from her schoolbag. “I hear at times like this you require chocolate for emotional healing.”
“I think it’s usually ice cream, but I appreciate the gesture.”
“Not practical. Ice cream melts. And you require spoons for it.”
“Not the way I eat ice cream” Sunny snorted, opening the chocolate bar and breaking off a piece for Annabel.
They sat and munched on chocolate in silence for a few moments, then Annabel seemed to reach the end of her patience for Sunny’s heartbreak.
“Surf?”
“Yeah, ok. Good idea.”
They spent the afternoon in the waves; the temperature of the water was noticeably colder through their wetsuits.
Another thing to be sad about, Sunny thought. The end of the mild autumn weather.
Winter approaches, bringing frosty mornings and dull grey days. Little bikinis and boardies made way for layering, cardigans, beanies, scarves, and coats. The steady flow of tourists into Forster dries up completely, the stand-up paddle boarders no longer dot the Great Lakes, there are no more ribbon-bedecked wedding cars driving through the town every Saturday afternoon.
The only consolation in the approaching winter is that in almost four months’ time, it would be spring again. The tiny green buds of leaf on the trees would stretch out and unfurl and wave in the wind again. The ocean’s chill will retreat, and become refreshing rather than brain chilling. Bare shoulders, little shorts, thongs rather than runners. The best part of winter is that it would soon be over.
But she had little hope that her heart would see spring again.
Chapter 28
As soon as Sunny’s father was in cellphone range, he got the message about what happened to her at school, and he broke all sorts of speed limits getting home. Secluded upstairs in her room, Sunny heard Ben’s car speeding up their cul-de-sac and screeching into the driveway, the dull thunk of the front door and some speedy murmuring with Steph in the kitchen, then a thud-thud-thud as he ran up the stairs to her room.
She saved him the moody teenager routine and opened the door for him before he could knock.
Ben clocked her weary expression and pulled her into his arms. “Oh, my baby. My poor baby,” he crooned, gathering her in his arms and rocking her in his bulk.
“Go easy, Dad. I didn’t die.” Sunny muffled into his chest. He ignored her and continued to rock her back and forth, mumbling incoherently.
“Seriously, I’ll be ok.” She used a little more force to push him back, and he smoothed her wild hair back off her face to look her in the eye.
“Will you? I’m so sorry honey. I could kill that little fucker.” Fury made Ben swear, which he never did, and the unaccustomed word sounded strange falling from his lips. She gave him a tiny smile.
“Dad, I’ll be fine. It got out of hand. It’s all sorted now. Jake’s been excluded, and probably charged. He won’t be back at school, at least, not ours.”
“Are you hurt?” Ben ran his hands over her arms, looking for bruises.
“Not that you could tell. I’ve got some bruises on my….” She clocked a look at Ben’s horrified face and decided some things weren’t worth burdening him with. “On my fist, where I punched him.”
Ben seemed slightly mollified. “I’m so glad you fought him off, honey. Who taught you how to throw a punch?”
“Not you, that’s for sure. I doubt that you could do any serious damage yourself,” Sunny tried a joke, jabbing Ben in his creeping beer gut.
“Maybe some self-defence lessons, then? Martial arts or something? I know you did a great job defending yourself today, but I’d feel better if you did some more classes, just in case.”
“Maybe,” Sunny said idly. “Annabel does Tae Kwon Do, I’ll ask her about it.”
Ben grew somber. “I had no idea that this could happen in this lovely town. Everyone knows each other or knows someone you know. You’d think everyone would be nice to everyone else.”
“Do you know Jake’s father?”
“I know of him. A real piece of work, apparently.” Ben screwed up his face in distaste.
“Well, there you go. There are good people and bad people everywhere.”
“Maybe we should move back to Sydney,” Ben sighed.
Sunny smiled at her father. All he ever wanted to do was make her happy, and he wouldn’t have gone near Steph if Sunny had kicked up a fuss about it. The only reason she hadn’t was that she couldn’t believe how happy he was, and she couldn’t bear to take that away from him.
“I like it here,” she said simply. “I’m getting used to the lifestyle. I love the ocean, and the town is a good size. I miss Sydney, sure, but I’m getting used to the small-town charm here.”
Ben looked relieved. “I don’t think Steph would be happy if we left. She wouldn’t want to leave this place again.”
Sunny remembered how awkward Steph had been living in the city in the beginning, how she pined to go back to Forster. “Yeah, she does seem pretty happy in Forster. I guess all her family is here.”
“There’s a little more to it than that,” Ben said quietly.
Sunny’s ears pricked up and she looked at her father quizzically, waiting for him to go on. “It’s not something that she likes to talk about, ever,” Ben said in hushed tones. “In fact I only found out about it from her mother, after we moved up here. You know how she never talks about her father?”
“I was under the impression she didn’t have one.” Sunny felt slightly guilty that she’d never even thought to ask about Steph’s lack of a father.
“Well, she did. His name was Bob. He was from New Zealand; he’d moved to Newcastle for some job and met Steph’s mother Jan on a weekend away. Jan’s parents and aunties and uncles have all lived here for a long time, and she insisted that they live here when they got married and had Steph. They started fighting pretty early on in the marriage, from what I hear, and Bob had wanted to go home. Jan forbade it, of course. So one day, Bob took Steph and disappeared. She was six years old at the time, and she was gone for almost three years.”
“Wow. I had no idea. That’s pretty dramatic,” Sunny said, stunned. “She must have been traumati
zed.”
“That’s not the half of it,” Ben lowered his voice. “Steph came back – by herself. They found her wandering around by the foreshore, and all she could say was her name. She had some bruising on her face too, which is horrible to think about. And Bob was never heard from again.”
“Oh my God,” Sunny breathed. “What did she say about it?”
“She says she doesn’t remember it at all. She barely remembers anything from her childhood before she was taken, and nothing of her life on the road with Bob. Needless to say, her mother never forced the issue. She was just so happy to have her back.”
“That’s insane,” Sunny whispered. “I had no idea she’d gone through so much.”
“So you can understand why she’s so reluctant to leave this town,” Ben said, trailing off, he refocused his attention on Sunny. “Are you sure you’re ok? Why do I get the feeling there’s more to this?”
Sunny felt her eyes fill out with tears, and she dipped her head before her father could see them fall. “Yeah, there’s more,” she sniffed and mashed her lips together to keep from crying.
“Awwww, honey…” Ben squashed her head against his chest and rubbed her hair ineffectually.
“But it’s stupid boy stuff,” Sunny mumbled into his shirt. “I’ll tell you about it when my heart is less broken.”
This set Ben off again, and he rocked her and crooned for a while. The drama of his response jolted Sunny out of her grief a bit, and she found herself patting and soothing him, giving him comfort rather than the other way around.
Eventually, her father quietened down and was reassured enough to head back downstairs for dinner. Steph had made a lemon tart for dessert, and Ben’s burgeoning belly was looking forward to it.
It was after dinner that Sunny sat in her room, almost in darkness save her bedside table lamp, eyeing her phone cautiously. She still hadn’t turned it on, and wasn’t looking forward to it now, imagining the horror it contained. Sympathy messages from students, pity from Hunter, she could only imagine.