Hi all, thank you all so much for reading the latest chapter and taking the time to send messages and leave reviews. I really appreciate them all. Eventually I'm hoping to continue with all 4 stories but please be patient it will take time. A couple of years ago I was left heartbroken when my sister passed away suddenly, I still miss her every day and I have good days and the occasional bad one but I'm getting there slowly. I hope you're all well and that you enjoy this chapter. Take care Mx
CARRICK
I sit opposite Jack as he bravely tells me everything that happened between him and the coach. He looks absolutely drained.
"Well done Jack." I say as he finishes. "We need to go to the police station tomorrow after your exam so you can make a statement."
"No. Please Mr Grey. I don't think I can." Jack says. "My parents, they will be so upset."
"I will come with you if that will make it easier. Your dad will trust me to do what's best, but Jack the coach needs to be incarcerated so that he doesn't do this to anyone else. You do understand that don't you?" I say gently. He nods. "Do you know if he did this to anyone else?"
"I don't know. There were boys, older than me, amazing simmers but they stopped suddenly. I didn't know why at the time but maybe looking back something happened." Jack says.
"Do you know their names?" I ask and Jack shakes his head. "OK, I'll get Christian to investigate. Now shall we go and join your dad and Matt?"
"No. I can't see dad. Do you think I could stay here tonight? If I go home there will be lots of questions and I probably won't get much sleep and then I might as well not show up for the exam tomorrow." Jack says in a panic.
"Would you like me to go in and see your dad on my own? I'll explain what you've just said and that I'm collecting you after your exam tomorrow so we can go and make a statement and then I'll drop you home after so we can maybe and only maybe sit down together in the afternoon to discuss some things. We'll only discuss things that you're comfortable with at the moment until you can eventually tell them everything and Jack please give your parents some slack they will be upset as they will think they have failed to protect you." I say gently.
"Yes please if you don't mind go and see dad now. I'll wait here if that's ok." Jack says.
"Yes of course that's ok." I reassure him. "Try not to worry, we'll help you through this and remember that you're not at fault here. The blame is entirely with the coach who took advantage of you." Jack just nods and puts his head down. I stand and start to make my way to the other sitting room on the opposite side of the hallway. I hear laughter as I knock then open the door. Matt and Rob are sat side by side on the sofa with paper and plans on the coffee table in front of them. They both stop laughing and put their pens down, I take a quick glance and it looks like they've been planning the extensions over the new garages and the old garage along with lists of materials they will need.
"How's Jack?" Matt asks.
"OK, totally drained and looks exhausted. Rob I think it might be a good idea if he stays here tonight. He's agreed that I can collect him after his exam to take him to the station to make a statement and then I'll bring him home to you and Louise." I say. "He thinks if he comes home they'll be too many questions and he won't be fit for the exam."
"How bad is it?" Rob asks.
"Bad but there was no penetration." I say.
"Jeez, thank you Carrick." Rob says. "Do you think he'll see me before I leave? Louise has already gone home as she dropped Lexie off on the way."
"He's terrified to see you." I say.
"I'll go to him now." Matt says. "Give us a few minutes together first." He stands and then surprises me by coming to give me a hug before he leaves the room.
"Rob, we need to be calm with Jack. He's really delicate, we just have to tread carefully. Christian has already got Welch doing background checks and trying to trace other potential victims." I say.
"I know, Matt told me the little bit that he knew, I didn't tell him but I'll never be able to repay him for what he has done for Jack the last 3 months." Rob says.
"Likewise. Looks like we're equal then as I'll never be able to repay you for all the help you've given Matt either and it looks from the plans you've made that you'll be continuing." I say.
"I certainly will, it keeps me occupied when I'm not helping Welch find staff and Matt's a great kid." Rob says.
"So is Jack." I say. "How long did it take Matt to start talking?"
"About 2 minutes, I didn't need to say anything and he just came out with it all." Rob says as he grins at me.
"That's Matt for you. He hates keeping things secret and bottled up."
"Oh shit, I've just asked him to keep something to himself." he says and I look at him questionably ." l think Hannah's mom Helen might be my long lost sister."
"What makes you think that?" I ask in almost disbelief.
"Well obviously the name but Hannah is the spitting image of my mom when she was that age. Also if Hannah knew her grandparents or has seen photos then I look like my dad, she did keep looking at me during dinner like I did her." he says.
"Did you try and trace them?" I ask.
"Of course I did, I even asked Welch but even you know if someone changes their name and doesn't want to be found then it's possible to disappear even with todays technology never mind over thirty years ago." Rob says.
"True, my son being one of them." I say with a grimace. "So what do you plan to do? Turn up on the doorstep?"
"I don't know yet."
"I could speak to Helen tomorrow, I keep regular contact with her as to Hannah's welfare so she doesn't feel out of the loop, she knows Hannah will make contact when she's ready. If you're not busy this weekend you could drive Jack and Lexie to Bellevue on Saturday afternoon and go and see her, Louise would be welcome to stay with us if you'd prefer to go alone but you're both welcome to come to Elliot's party in the evening." I say.
"Thank you, I'd appreciate you talking to Helen and Saturday afternoon would be good to meet her. By the way ask Matt where he stayed when he first got here, you might be surprised." Rob says as Matt comes back into the room, Jack is behind him but waits in the doorway.
"Dad I thought you were following a few minutes behind, you've been hours." Matt says as he grins at me and adds cheekily "What's taken you so long?"
"We're just discussing the weekend, Rob is going to drive Jack and Lexie to Bellevue. Jack come on in, don't be shy." I say. He walks in slowly and looks at his dad warily. Rob stands and walks towards him and pulls him into a hug which Jack thankfully returns. Matt smiles at me.
"Your mom and I will support you anyway we can, we'll get through this together." Rob says to Jack. "I love you."
"Thanks dad, I love you too." Jack says and hugs him again.
"If Rob is driving can Jack and Lexie still stay over?" Matt asks.
"Sure, Rob you and Louise will be welcome to stay as well." I say.
"We could get a hotel room, I wouldn't want to impose on Grace." Rob says.
"You wouldn't be." Matt says before I can reply. Mom loves it when the house is full and besides if she's got extras staying we don't know about we can always stay next door."
"Thank you, that will be good and I'm sure Louise would like that." Rob says. "I think it's time for me to go home now, I'm sure you boys would like some sleep. Jack shall I drop some clean clothes off for you first thing before school?"
"No it's fine dad, I'll manage." Jack says.
"You can use some of mine." Matt says generously.
"I'll see you tomorrow Rob. Matt, we'll move to the other room and let Jack and his dad have some time together." I say.
"Thanks Carrick, for everything." Rob says as he shakes my hand.
Matt and I make our way across the hallway to the other living room where I was with Jack earlier. "You OK?" I ask.
"Yes dad, I'm good. I'm pleased things will be sorted out and that fucking coach will hopefully get jail time." Matt says.
"Language." I mutter but he grins at me. He's in a good mood. "Tomorrow I'll be staying here a bit longer than expected to help Jack, your mom will be going to the city first thing." I say.
"Mom can take my SUV." Matt says without me having to ask. "Then if you're happy Hannah and I will travel with you later in the afternoon when you've finished."
"Thanks son and in the morning I've got a few calls to make..."
"Use my study." Matt says immediately. "Hannah will be doing school work and she usually sits at the table in the kitchen."
"Sounds like Rob is leaving, lets go and make sure Jack is ok." I say.
As Matt goes and sorts Jack out with spare clothes and shows him where he's sleeping I sit and think over the events of the evening. Both boys co-operated in the end by telling us what we needed to know. Rob surprised me with the possibility about Helen being his sister and then the passing comment about asking Matt about his first few nights in Port Orchard. I stand and make my way to the kitchen.
"Hi dad,Jack's gone to bed, I'll just have a drink and then I'm going to head upstairs as well. It looks like mom, Hannah and Mia are all in bed as well. Have I done something wrong? You've got that questioning look on your face?" he asks.
"Your first few nights in Port Orchard. Where did you stay?" I ask and he frowns as if not understanding why I'm asking, actually even I don't really know apart from it will bug me now Rob has mentioned it.
"At the Rose Harbour Inn, it's a small place just up the hill from the court. It's run by a really nice lady called Jo-Marie Rose, I still go and see her actually and sit on her porch, there's something really calming about the place." Matt says. Strange nothing he's said makes sense as to why Rob would bring it up before Matt continues. " Her partner Mark sometimes helps Rob with the renovations here, they built the garage together as well. He's a really interesting bloke, was in the forces and speaks loads of languages."
"Last name Taylor." I say and Matt looks at me in surprise. "As in Taylor's brother."
"I had no idea, I didn't even know he had a brother." Matt says in shock. " All this time I've been here and been close to people that had connections with Christian."
"l know, I can't wait to phone your brother in the morning." I say. " And on that note I'm off to bed. Night son."
"Night dad, I'll come up to though I'm not sure I'll sleep, I've got so much going on in my head." he says but is grinning at me.