Forgotten Not Forgiven
Chapter 3 - How Long?

Kerry and Smithy sat and the kitchen table in their three bedroom detached house on the outskirts of Canley. The world they had built around themselves and their only daughter was beginning to cave in around them. Kerry's face was white and her hands were shaking. Although her relationship with Amy was shaky even at the best of times Kerry loved her daughter more than anything and she couldn't bear to think of her and Smithy being in danger. Kerry thought that all of this had ended twelve years ago but it was about to start all over again. Maybe she was being irrational but it was how she felt and she could see that Smithy was worried too. Why else would Gina have sent him home during his shift?

"I can't believe it." She said, her voice shaky. Smithy took his wife's hand and held it in his. "What happens about Amy, is she going to be safe? Should we tell her?"

"Whoa Kerry." Smithy soothed although he didn't feel at all calm either. "Take this slowly yeah?"

Kerry nodded, fighting against her tears.

"We'll sort this out. Come on, we're two good coppers against one evil one. He'll go down again if he tries anything."

Smithy's words seemed to have the desired effect on Kerry and she relaxed a little wiping a tear away from her eye. Smithy squeezed her hand tighter in his.

"What was it that you were going to tell me?" He asked.

Kerry didn't know if now was the time but she guessed that it would have to be.

"Cameron and his family are coming over to stay for a while. Sometime around Amy's birthday."

Smithy couldn't deny his surprise at this. He still felt threatened by Cameron Tait in a small way. After all once Kerry had chosen the Australian cop over him until she had found out that she was having his child and not Cameron's. Part of him still wondered if Cameron and Kerry still had feelings for each other even though each of them were married to different people now. All he knew was that he and Kerry loved each other and as far as Smithy knew Cameron was still with his wife Karin.

"Right. That'll be nice for Amy won't it?" Smithy said in reply.

Kerry nodded. "I should have asked you, shouldn't I?"

"It's okay." Smithy reassured. "It's fine."

Cameron Tait hung up the phone and walked into the living room in search of his wife. Karin was watching something on the TV with their two children. Ten year old Lauren was watching the screen intently while her little brother Stefan, aged six was flopped across his mother's stomach.

"How do you feel about a holiday?" Cameron asked.

Karin looked at her husband across the living room.

"Well we could do with one honey but I don't think we can afford much right now." Even with their combined income Cameron's copper's wage and her nurses' pay was only just enough to live on.

"How about if I told you we could go and stay with Kerry and Smithy for a few weeks?"

"Really?" Karin grinned, the two children listening in with smiles on their faces.

"Yeah!" Cameron replied, happy to see his family's positive reactions.

He told them the dates and the house was filled with happy response and Lauren and Stefan wanted to leave right there and then.

However back in Sun Hill things were not going so well in the Smith household. Amy was pleased to hear that the Tait family were coming to visit but she wasn't sure if she liked the idea of sharing her birthday with them. She was sure that it must have been Kerry's idea but she knew better than to say that especially when her dad was around.

A week later:

"Come on kids!" Karin called up the stairs from where she had been helping Cameron load up the car. "Get a move on or we'll miss the flight!"

Lauren and Stefan came running down the stairs carrying their own bags that Karin had helped them back. Both of them were excited at the thought of going to England. They'd never travelled that far before. Cameron came back in from the car and took the kids' bags out, he couldn't help but feel the infectious excitement of Lauren and Stefan.

Karin packed two cartons of orange juice and some biscuits into her hand luggage and she and Cameron checked around the house to make sure that they hadn't forgotten anything.

"I can't believe we're really doing this!" Karin laughed, she had never been to the UK either. Cameron smiled, giving her a hug.

They followed their children out to the car, both of them were eager to leave but not as excited as Lauren and Stefan.

At the airport Karin handed Lauren a magazine and Cameron read a football magazine to Stefan. They both hoped that the two children would be okay with flying. For weeks Stefan had been watching out of the window everytime an aeroplane had flown over and he couldn't wait to finally get on a plane. When the flight was called Stefan and Lauren ran on ahead of their parents who shared a smile before hurrying to catch up.

"Wowww!" Said Stefan, his eyes wide with excitement as he saw the large white plane standing on the runway. "It's huge."

Cameron laughed, picking Stefan up and carrying him up the steps. He looked back to make sure than Karin and Lauren hadn't got lost in the crowd. They took their seats, Stefan with Karin and Cameron and Lauren on the otherside of the gangway.

The airhostess stood at the front of the plane and directed the exits while the Tait's put on their seatbelts. Stefan and Lauren held on tightly to their parents hands as the plane finally took of through the Australian sky.

The Smiths had not heard anymore about Gabriel's release and they had tried to put it to the back on their minds. They decided that they would just enjoy Cameron and his family's visit and Amy's birthday party. The plans were underway and the DJ had been booked, invites had been sent out and the hall was hired for the night. Things were running smoothly but for how long?


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