Kane looks momentarily puzzled. What could this woman possibly know about them? He is inclined to let her into the room so they can talk privately but he doesn't want to wake Kirsty. Instead, he steps out into the corridor, shutting the door gently, feeling a bit odd stood in the corridor dressed in dressing gown and boxers. Sylvia is fully dressed but there is no other sign of life within the building.
"You from Summer Bay?"
Kane narrows his eyes but doesn't reply. She can tell by his expression that she is right.
"How old is your girlfriend"
Kane felt awkward.
"Old enough."
Sylvia speaks coldly.
"How old?"
Kane grits his teeth.
"Sixteen"
He keeps a straight face. He has to pull this off for the sake of his relationship. An uneasy silence passes.
"Kane Phillips... I recognised the name but I've only just found out why"
She paused for a moment
"My son lives in Summer Bay... your reputation precedes you"
Kane tried to express that he didn't know what she was talking about.
"Meaning?"
"Rape... you're a rapist"
Panic swept through Kane. The past was returning to haunt him. Even here he couldn't leave it behind. His face remained expressionless despite the awkwardness inside.
"Says who?"
She looked irritated. Irritated and disgusted.
"Don't play the innocent with me. I've just spoken to my son"
"Then why aren't I behind bars?"
Kane could feel himself shaking.
"You tell me"
He kept a straight face.
"I was accused of rape but the court found me not guilty"
That much was the truth at least. He just hoped she would leave him alone.
"The story I got was that it was a miscarriage of justice... everyone knew you were guilty but there wasn't enough evidence"
He bit his lip. She continued.
"Quite frankly, I don't want you on these premises and I feel sorry for that poor girl"
"Why? I'm innocent."
That wasn't the entire truth. He was only innocent in the eyes of the law.
"So you're saying everyone's got it wrong - you never raped anyone"
Kane glanced awkwardly at the floor, his head spinning. Would one more lie really hurt? It was all for Kirsty's sake. He looked back up at Sylvia.
"No. I never raped anyone"
She looked at him curiously for a moment, trying to work out if this was the truth. His heart was racing as she glared into his eyes. He didn't look like a rapist. He looked honest enough. Maybe she had just got the wrong end of the stick. She had to give him the benefit of the doubt She forces an apologetic smile. She still sounded unconvinced.
"Right... my mistake, I guess"
She turned and descended the stairs. He couldn't believe what he had just done. He had never felt so guilty. His cheeks were burning up. He turned and shakily re-entered the room. Kirsty was still sleeping peacefully, oblivious to what had happened. He couldn't tell her about Sylvia. He had lied through his teeth. What would she think of him? But what would happen if she found out herself?
He sat down on the edge of the bed, staring out the window into space. He was exhausted but he couldn't sleep. He had too much on his mind. Pulling one of the bags towards him he pulls out some clothes and hastily dresses. He had to clear his head. He couldn't face himself just now, let alone Kirsty.
Kirsty awoke as the door clicked shut behind Kane. There was a piece of paper on the pillow next to her which read only "Gone out. Didn't want to wake you, love K". She frowned. Where had he gone? She wished he had woken her. After all, it had been their first night together in their new home. She looked at her watch. She had to start work in half an hour.
.................................
PARK
Kane sits on a swing, rocking aimlessly back and forth, deep in thought. Could he ever escape his past? He hated the looks people had given him when they knew what he had done. The same look that Sylvia had given him when she had come to the door. They despised him and it made him feel small. What had Kirsty seen in him? She could do much better. He could be ruining her life by dragging her away from home like this. He was a rapist living with a fifteen year old. No wonder Sylvia had been so concerned. Love had blinded them. They had thrown consequences to the wind.
He rose to his feet. He had been out for hours, walking, thinking. There hadn't been many people out at first but now the town was quite busy. Shops were opening up. People were travelling to work. He didn't even have a job.
.................................
CARAVAN PARK
Rhys comes downstairs. The house is empty. Shelley is at work and the girls are at school. Rhys is wearing his jacket and carrying a large bag. He couldn't stick around. He couldn't stand it anymore. He had let the family down too badly this time and they would be better off without him. After he had heard Shelley leave he had tried desperately to contact Pete, with no success. It was all such a mess. He had pushed his daughter into the arms of a rapist and had been conned yet again by his own brother, further damaging the family. He gazed around the house for a final time, his eyes lingering over his wedding photo. Walking up to it, he lifts it and gently strokes Shelley's face. He pauses for a moment before replacing the picture hastily. Re-adjusting the bag over his shoulder, he places an envelope on the kitchen table and leaves the house, locking the door behind him.
.................................
DROP IN CENTRE
Shelley sits in the office, staring blankly at the computer screen. She couldn't concentrate on work, not at a time like this. She wished that she had taken up Flynn's offer of covering for her but it was too late now. Shelley wished she could contact Kirsty and tell her about how things had changed. Maybe then she would come home and help hold the family together. She rose from her seat and walked out of the building, not able to sit doing nothing for any longer.
.................................
Kane walks through the streets alone, people bustling past him as he ploughs through the centre of the pavement. He was trying to put off facing Kirsty. He wouldn't be able to lie to her. She would be able to tell that something was wrong and he would have to tell her the whole story. Maybe they would have to move on again. Kirsty seemed to like it here but the danger of being found might be too big. It would be yet another failed life. Maybe he should have taken her home instead of putting her through more misery.
.................................
B+B BREAKFAST ROOM
Kirsty helped clear the breakfast tables. She hadn't seen Kane all morning and she was starting to get worried. He would never just walk out like this unless something was wrong. She had checked outside but his car was still there and she had tried calling his mobile from a payphone but he had it switched off.
.................................
B+B RECEPTION
Kane enters as Kirsty walks through from the breakfast room. They stop and exchange an awkward stare.
"Where have you been?"
Kane's heart pounds.
"Just... around. Looking for a job"
"You left early"
Kane didn't want to have to explain.
"Hmmm"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing... I just didn't get much sleep last night"
She could tell he was lying. His eyes darted around the room, unable to meet with hers.
"Look, I've got a break now so do you want to go for a walk"
He didn't want to talk about it and he'd done enough walking that morning to last him a lifetime. He didn't want to tell her more lies.
"No... I'm just going to have a lie down."
A door swings open and Sylvia enters. A lingering glance passes between she and Kane. Kirsty notes the look. She knew she was being left out of something. Kane doesn't say any more and walks away up the stairs. Kirsty turned to Sylvia.
"What's going on?"
"You from Summer Bay?"
Kane narrows his eyes but doesn't reply. She can tell by his expression that she is right.
"How old is your girlfriend"
Kane felt awkward.
"Old enough."
Sylvia speaks coldly.
"How old?"
Kane grits his teeth.
"Sixteen"
He keeps a straight face. He has to pull this off for the sake of his relationship. An uneasy silence passes.
"Kane Phillips... I recognised the name but I've only just found out why"
She paused for a moment
"My son lives in Summer Bay... your reputation precedes you"
Kane tried to express that he didn't know what she was talking about.
"Meaning?"
"Rape... you're a rapist"
Panic swept through Kane. The past was returning to haunt him. Even here he couldn't leave it behind. His face remained expressionless despite the awkwardness inside.
"Says who?"
She looked irritated. Irritated and disgusted.
"Don't play the innocent with me. I've just spoken to my son"
"Then why aren't I behind bars?"
Kane could feel himself shaking.
"You tell me"
He kept a straight face.
"I was accused of rape but the court found me not guilty"
That much was the truth at least. He just hoped she would leave him alone.
"The story I got was that it was a miscarriage of justice... everyone knew you were guilty but there wasn't enough evidence"
He bit his lip. She continued.
"Quite frankly, I don't want you on these premises and I feel sorry for that poor girl"
"Why? I'm innocent."
That wasn't the entire truth. He was only innocent in the eyes of the law.
"So you're saying everyone's got it wrong - you never raped anyone"
Kane glanced awkwardly at the floor, his head spinning. Would one more lie really hurt? It was all for Kirsty's sake. He looked back up at Sylvia.
"No. I never raped anyone"
She looked at him curiously for a moment, trying to work out if this was the truth. His heart was racing as she glared into his eyes. He didn't look like a rapist. He looked honest enough. Maybe she had just got the wrong end of the stick. She had to give him the benefit of the doubt She forces an apologetic smile. She still sounded unconvinced.
"Right... my mistake, I guess"
She turned and descended the stairs. He couldn't believe what he had just done. He had never felt so guilty. His cheeks were burning up. He turned and shakily re-entered the room. Kirsty was still sleeping peacefully, oblivious to what had happened. He couldn't tell her about Sylvia. He had lied through his teeth. What would she think of him? But what would happen if she found out herself?
He sat down on the edge of the bed, staring out the window into space. He was exhausted but he couldn't sleep. He had too much on his mind. Pulling one of the bags towards him he pulls out some clothes and hastily dresses. He had to clear his head. He couldn't face himself just now, let alone Kirsty.
Kirsty awoke as the door clicked shut behind Kane. There was a piece of paper on the pillow next to her which read only "Gone out. Didn't want to wake you, love K". She frowned. Where had he gone? She wished he had woken her. After all, it had been their first night together in their new home. She looked at her watch. She had to start work in half an hour.
.................................
PARK
Kane sits on a swing, rocking aimlessly back and forth, deep in thought. Could he ever escape his past? He hated the looks people had given him when they knew what he had done. The same look that Sylvia had given him when she had come to the door. They despised him and it made him feel small. What had Kirsty seen in him? She could do much better. He could be ruining her life by dragging her away from home like this. He was a rapist living with a fifteen year old. No wonder Sylvia had been so concerned. Love had blinded them. They had thrown consequences to the wind.
He rose to his feet. He had been out for hours, walking, thinking. There hadn't been many people out at first but now the town was quite busy. Shops were opening up. People were travelling to work. He didn't even have a job.
.................................
CARAVAN PARK
Rhys comes downstairs. The house is empty. Shelley is at work and the girls are at school. Rhys is wearing his jacket and carrying a large bag. He couldn't stick around. He couldn't stand it anymore. He had let the family down too badly this time and they would be better off without him. After he had heard Shelley leave he had tried desperately to contact Pete, with no success. It was all such a mess. He had pushed his daughter into the arms of a rapist and had been conned yet again by his own brother, further damaging the family. He gazed around the house for a final time, his eyes lingering over his wedding photo. Walking up to it, he lifts it and gently strokes Shelley's face. He pauses for a moment before replacing the picture hastily. Re-adjusting the bag over his shoulder, he places an envelope on the kitchen table and leaves the house, locking the door behind him.
.................................
DROP IN CENTRE
Shelley sits in the office, staring blankly at the computer screen. She couldn't concentrate on work, not at a time like this. She wished that she had taken up Flynn's offer of covering for her but it was too late now. Shelley wished she could contact Kirsty and tell her about how things had changed. Maybe then she would come home and help hold the family together. She rose from her seat and walked out of the building, not able to sit doing nothing for any longer.
.................................
Kane walks through the streets alone, people bustling past him as he ploughs through the centre of the pavement. He was trying to put off facing Kirsty. He wouldn't be able to lie to her. She would be able to tell that something was wrong and he would have to tell her the whole story. Maybe they would have to move on again. Kirsty seemed to like it here but the danger of being found might be too big. It would be yet another failed life. Maybe he should have taken her home instead of putting her through more misery.
.................................
B+B BREAKFAST ROOM
Kirsty helped clear the breakfast tables. She hadn't seen Kane all morning and she was starting to get worried. He would never just walk out like this unless something was wrong. She had checked outside but his car was still there and she had tried calling his mobile from a payphone but he had it switched off.
.................................
B+B RECEPTION
Kane enters as Kirsty walks through from the breakfast room. They stop and exchange an awkward stare.
"Where have you been?"
Kane's heart pounds.
"Just... around. Looking for a job"
"You left early"
Kane didn't want to have to explain.
"Hmmm"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing... I just didn't get much sleep last night"
She could tell he was lying. His eyes darted around the room, unable to meet with hers.
"Look, I've got a break now so do you want to go for a walk"
He didn't want to talk about it and he'd done enough walking that morning to last him a lifetime. He didn't want to tell her more lies.
"No... I'm just going to have a lie down."
A door swings open and Sylvia enters. A lingering glance passes between she and Kane. Kirsty notes the look. She knew she was being left out of something. Kane doesn't say any more and walks away up the stairs. Kirsty turned to Sylvia.
"What's going on?"
