Chapter Twenty-Five

Rose

Tessa and Alan were both welcoming and open to the idea of me staying with them for a short period. Alan even offered me his bed to sleep on, until Finlay explained I’d be staying in his room for the evening and he’d take the lounge.

At times throughout dinner, I felt as though Tessa was uneasy about the situation, but she wasn’t impolite or unpleasant, so maybe it was something I was imagining … To say I’m not on edge would be a lie—I am. Any moment I’m expecting a harsh knocking at Finlay’s door, and my very angry father to be on the other side. I’m asking too much of Finlay, I know I am, but I’ve nowhere else to go. In hindsight, I could have gone to a resort and taken up a room there, but my daddy would have found me before the night’s end and I’d have nobody to help talk him down and protect my decision to leave. Did I come here solely for support and protection, or is there more to this decision I’ve made?

Poker night is Wednesday and Friday nights at the manor, Alan tells me, and when Blocker, Rance, Tardo, and Sailor all arrive around 8:00 p.m., we head into the games room where my grey dress, pearl necklace, and stilettos are placed on a chair in the corner. I flick my eyes to Finlay, who chuckles from my reaction. He mustn’t have brought them with him on Sunday like he said he would.

“Rose, beware of Tessa. She is a poker shark and she will wipe you clean of all your dough,” Tardo says.

“Oh, I see.” I giggle. “Beware of Tessa. Thank you, I will be.”

“Don’t be giving away my secrets now, lads,” Tessa says simply, wheeling in the oxygen tank behind her. “They’re telling you the truth, though, Rose.” She smiles at me momentarily before sitting down in front of a table covered with green felt that has been set up. “Who’s dealing?”

“Frank the fucking Tank,” Blocker shouts.

“Mouth, Maverick,” Tessa scolds.

“Sorry, Rose.” He turns to face me.

“No, please don’t be. I do know how to cuss, you know.”

“You do?” Rance calls me out. His tone clipped but cool.

“Fuck oath, I do.” I feel foolish and embarrassed to utter such words.

Laughter fills the room and within minutes the game is underway.

Sadly, I’m not a good poker player, and Tessa is indeed taking everyone’s money. And although I have some cash in my bag to continue playing, I must be sensible with my money, as I’ll be needing it when I flee town.

“Tess, come on. Stop whooping our arses.” Finlay drops his head to the table he was responsible for setting up for us to play on. “Why didn’t you teach me to play like this when I was young?”

“What, and give you all my secrets? Not a chance, kid.”

Everyone is laughing except for Fin—he’s eyeing her in admiration. Tessa really was his foster mum.

“Who wants to hear some stories about Fin?”

“Me.” My eagerness is on full display.

Tessa laughs, and then starts to cough and splutter. It’s a struggle for her to catch her breath, and Finlay is out of his chair and rubbing her back before I have a chance to blink. Tessa clasps a white handkerchief with pink lace stitched to its side, and when she coughs to the point of almost being sick, she places this material against her lips where she continues to cough again. I worry for her wellbeing.

Sailor rushes to where Tessa is struggling to breathe opposite me. Crouching down, I wonder what he is doing, but don’t continue to wonder for long because he says, “I’ve turned your oxygen up, Tess. Try and take deep, slow breaths, you old bird.”

Finally, Tessa manages to bring her coughing under control, and when she removes the handkerchief she previously placed over her mouth, I see a bright red blood stain upon it. I can’t control the sudden gasp pressing past my lips.

“It’s okay, Rose. It’s normal for there to be blood. Tessa has lung cancer.” Alan says this in such a rehearsed way, I believe it’s something he’s heard Tessa say many times.

“I see.” I don’t know what else to say.

As soon as Tessa is back in control of her air intake, she shrugs Finlay away from her. Tessa seems to be a strong, independent woman. I can’t help wondering how she came to be Finlay’s foster mother. My desire to know gets the better of me, because I blurt out, “How did Finlay come into your care, Tessa?”

Tessa flicks her eyes to Finlay, who nods just once in response to her unspoken question.

“Okay then. Settle in, Rose. I’ve a story for you.”

I nod.

“I was once a young and healthy woman,” Tess starts. “Was I forty-four or fifty-four when you showed up, Fin?” She rotates her head in his direction.

“Fifty-four, I believe.”

“Okay, a little older than young, but still young at heart, when the Department of Child Safety called me early in the morning to let me know they had an urgent care placement request for a small boy at the hospital. I had three other children in my care at the time, and I’d planned to decline, that’s until they told me his age and that his father had beaten his mother close to death … you see, Rose, when this happened both his parents were in a drug-induced rage. Finlay’s parents were drug addicts. He saw what happened. I couldn’t turn him away.”

My heart thrums loudly, so loudly I believe everyone at the table can hear it also.

“Four hours later, there he was. Light brown hair, big brown tired-looking eyes … He was filthy, bruised all over. His hair was long and a tattered, matted mess. Oh, he was skinny, Rose, bone thin … It was obvious he was malnourished.”

I know my mouth is hanging wide. And even though I want to glance in Finlay’s direction, I don’t. I keep my attention on Tessa.

“He was a sweet kid, even though he’d been hard done by, and once I had his hair cut, the lice that had homed in there killed, and we sourced him some clothing that would fit his fragile limbs, we started to get to know each other. Together, we mastered a lot in a short time. I enrolled him into the local public school, and we went from there. Kids came and went through my house, but Finlay never left. He was with me until just before he turned eighteen and he moved out with these fellows sitting here today.”

“I couldn’t even imagine …” I stop, unsure how to finish the sentence.

“There are a lot of kids out there without fancy things and a cosy life like you, Rose.”

“I know I don’t.”

“You don’t know what hard is, my dear, or how to survive in a rough town.”

“I know …”

“Now you asked your question, so I’ll ask you mine.”

“Okay.”

“Tell me, Rose, why are you here? Why are you running away?”

I wasn’t wrong. Tessa isn’t overly happy about me staying here, and she’s hell-bent on putting me on the spot, right here and now.

“Tess!” Finlay barks.

“She had questions. So do I.”

“No. I understand.” I stare into Tessa’s sapphire-coloured eyes. “Where would you like me to start?” My voice shakes.

“Wherever you feel fit.”

“Well, I wasn’t born into money … We were from a farming town. My dad was offered a position in Hoffman in business, and he accepted it. When we first came to live here it wasn’t easy … sure, we had a nice house and stuff, but nobody knew us. In time, my father became very successful. And although I’ve never had a life like Finlay, right now I’m in a position I can’t seem to escape from, and, please understand, it’s one I need to escape. I’ll be gone from your home before you know it, and you’ll never see me again. Just because I’ve all the finer things in life doesn’t mean I’m happy and loved … and meeting Finlay and making an actual friend has given me the strength I needed to break out of a place and away from a life I’m not happy being in.”

Tessa keeps a neutral expression at first but when her lips stretch wide, I believe she appreciates my honesty in answering. “Fair enough.”

“I will do this on my own. I ask nothing more than a few days of protection until I sort out what I need to do and I’ll be gone. I really could use this safety net to land in for a short reprieve.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“I think we’ll call it a night, hey?” Tardo says.

“Good idea. I’m ready for bed anyway,” Blocker adds.

“Let’s go.” Rance stands.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Rose.” Sailor tips his head.

“Laters,” they say in unison before departing.

“I’ve school in the morning. So, goodnight.” Alan leaves just as quickly.

“I’m sorry for ruining your night,” I say.

“Don’t be.” Tessa’s husky tone suggests there is no malice laced in these words.

“Was that really necessary, Tessa?” Finlay isn’t impressed. He glares at her.

“Maybe it wasn’t, but do you feel better getting it off your chest, Rose?”

“I do. Strangely, I really do.”

“I’m glad.” Tessa takes her time in standing, and as I watch her, I realise she didn’t do what she did to hurt me—she did it to make me see why I’m really here.

“Goodnight, you two. Sleep well, Rose.” Tessa pats my shoulder twice before continuing past me.

“Are you okay, Rose?” Finlay is searching for my reaction. He’s not just staring at me, he’s staring into me.

“I am definitely okay.” I smile when I say this, because I needed to embrace the situation I’m in more than I realised. I thought I was running here for safety and a place to figure things out and make decisions. Instead, I came here to put the decisions I’ve already made subconsciously into place.

“I’ll show you to the room then?”

“Please. I’m tired.”

“Follow me.” He stands.

“Let me just grab my bag … It’s near the garage door.”

“Okay.”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Hard and forceful sounds come from the front door.

“Oh shit,” I breathe.

“Finlay Crossley, open up. It’s the police.”

“Police.” No, Daddy wouldn’t.