Chapter 12: The Truth Comes Out

For the next week or so, Kane and Emma spent every moment they could together without arousing anyone's suspicions. They met up every night on the beach, occasionally Emma went to his aunt's house where they lay on the sofa together watching videos or talking or Kane took her and Jordan to Yabbie Creek where there was little chance of anyone seeing them. He was very good with Jordan and that made Emma like him even more. She had never thought that she would find a man who would accept her son, but Kane was brilliant with him, even when he got tired and kept whining.

One night, after a couple of weeks of sneaking around, the two of them were strolling along the beach, hand in hand, when Kane stopped.

"Emma," he said, drawing her to him. "I've been thinking a lot about us recently and I…I feel so lucky to be with you. I think that I'm falling in love with you, Emma, and I really hope that you feel the same."

"I do." Emma threw her arms around him and hugged him. "Although it feels strange and scary…I feel the same."

"I am so glad," Kane returned the hug, burying her face in his hair. "I know that it's been hard, what with everything that has happened, but I'm glad that you gave me a chance. I won't hurt you and I promise you that I won't let anyone else hurt you either."

"I know," Emma mumbled into his shoulder. "Kane?"

"Yes?"

"I've decided," the young girl told him. "I'm going to tell my family about us. Tomorrow."

The next morning, when the family were all sitting around the table enjoying their breakfast, Emma decided that there was no time like the present.

"Mum," she said quietly. "There's something that I have to tell you."

"Oh yes?" Susan exchanged a quick look with Benny and Jess. "What's the matter?"

"Well, you know that I've been going out quite a bit recently?" Emma asked. "You see…"

"I bet she has a boyfriend," Lucy said at once. "Is it that boy you were with the night you came and found us?"

"What?" Benny raised his eyebrows. "What boy? Emma, is this true?"

"Um…yes," Emma admitted. "I was going to tell you, but I wanted to wait until I was sure that it was…serious."

"And it is?" Jess sounded worried. "Serious I mean. Emma, are you sure this is a good idea? After everything that's happened…"

"She means, are you sure that you are ready?" her mother also sounded worried. "To start another relationship is a big step."

"I've got to move on sometime," Emma shrugged. "And there is no time like the present."

"What's this guy's name?" Benny asked sharply. "Is he from around here?"

"His name is Kane Philips," the young girl told them. "I met him after the beach party, we were friends for a while and then things just progressed naturally. He's really nice, Jordan loves him and he's really understanding. He knows about the rape and everything and he's never tried to force me into anything. I really like him, mum."

"Kane Philips has a bit of a bad reputation," Benny told Susan. "He's not very well liked amongst the bay's residences. I don't like the idea of you being involved with him, Emma."

"Look, how about you meet him?" Emma offered. "I could ask him around for dinner tonight and you can see that he's okay really."

"I suppose that it couldn't hurt," Susan shook her head. "You invite him over, we'll meet him and then we'll see."

"Thanks mum," Emma lifted her son out of his high chair and made her way towards the stairs. "I'll tell him to come over."

"I hope you know what you are doing," Benny shook his head as he pushed his bacon around his plate. "I really do."

Emma had already arranged to spend the day with Allee and Leah, but she called Kane as soon as she got home and asked him to come over for dinner. He arrived ten minutes later, gave her a kiss on the cheek and introduced himself to the family.

Over dinner, they questioned him almost endlessly and Kane answered as honestly as he could. Yes, he told them, he had been in trouble in the past but he wanted to put that behind him now. He cared for Emma and he would look after her the best he could. Towards the end, Emma could see that her family, even Benny, were gradually warming to Kane, especially when he offered to help with the washing up. After the clearing up had been done, Susan had a brief talk with Benny and Jess, before sitting the two teenagers down.

"I'm sorry for being wary about you, Kane," she began. "But as you can imagine, we are concerned for Emma. However, you do seem to make her happy so as long as you really don't hurt her, I see no problem in you two seeing each other."

"Thanks mum." Emma smiled and hugged Kane. He smiled in return and hugged her back. Susan laughed.

"You just be sensible and keep convincing me that I have made the right decision," she told the two. "And don't worry too much about Benny. He's not completely happy about this, but you know what he's like. He'll come round in time."

For the next couple of days, Emma and Kane gradually made their relationship a little more public. Although they didn't actually tell anyone that they were a couple, they went to the Diner together, walked on the beach during the day when there were people around and were generally more affectionate with each other around outside. Emma was told by two or three people to be careful, but she took little notice as she already knew that the residents of the bay did not like Kane. Dani, Allee and the other older teenagers were also a little off with her, but she put that down to the same reason. They didn't like Kane; therefore they didn't like the idea of her dating him. She was happy for the first time in ages, her son was happy too and that was all that really mattered.

Two days after Susan had met Kane for the first time, Shelley came round for coffee and the talk soon turned to him.

"I hear that Emma is dating Kane Philips," Shelley said through a mouthful of biscuit. "You want to be careful of that boy. He is evil and not to be trusted. He went out with our Kirsty for a while, you know, and when Rhys and I tried to put a stop to it, he talked her into running away with him. He soon brought her back, thank goodness, and then disappeared into thin air. He should have stayed gone, it would have been better for a lot of people if he had."

"Why does everyone hate him so much?" Susan asked curiously. "Emma says that a lot of people have warned her off him. I know that he has been involved in some criminal activity in the past, but surely that couldn't have been enough to make everyone hate him so much?"

"Well he played a part in kidnapping a young woman who used to live around here," her friend explained with a sigh. "Along with his brother, who was just as bad as Kane in some ways. He got into a lot of trouble at school, accused young Jude of assault when he hadn't really touched him. But the thing that really turned people against him was what he did to Dani. Everyone knows about it but no one talks about it any more, mainly for her sake, so it isn't really surprising that you haven't heard."

"What did he do?"

"He raped her," Shelley said quietly. "Raped her, claimed it was consensual, harassed her constantly in the time leading up to the trial, and then got away with it. There is no justice in this world. He did apologize afterwards, but it was too late by then. The damage has already been done and it took my poor girl a long time to get over it."

"I had no idea, Shelley," Susan shook her head, her heart cold. "I can understand how it must have been for you, Emma's rape nearly destroyed our whole family. If I had known…" she shook her head. "Emma has to be told," she decided. "There is no way that Kane is coming anywhere near my family again."

"A wise decision, Susan," Shelley encouraged. "A very wise decision."

As soon as Benny got home, Susan told him and Jess what Shelley had told her earlier that day. As she had expected, both were angry and upset.

"Where is Emma now?" Benny asked. "Is she with him?"

"Yes," Susan nodded. "At the beach. Jordan's with Leah."

"I'll go get him," Jess offered. "Benny, don't do anything stupid, will you?"

"Of course not," he promised them. "I'm just going to get her away from him, that's all."

Before his mother or his girlfriend could reply, he went out and slammed the door hard behind him as he quickly hurried in the direction of the beach.

Next chapter: A shock for Emma!