Deep Water by Mark Ayre (best free ebook reader txt) 📗

accept rejection. If someone doesn't do what you want, the only recourse is to use violence or threats to get your way."

"And where did I learn that?" said Angel. "What happened to my father when mum got bored?"

"Bored?" Alice stormed forward, rage pouring from her.

Abbie caught the birthday girl's arm before she could charge at her daughter.

"Your father was a rapist, a monster," said Alice. "I killed him to save you."

Angel snorted, her disbelief palpable. How could she accept her mother's version of events when her fiction had helped rationalise her many despicable acts?

"See what I mean, Ollie?" said Abbie. "Your mother taught you a particular way of living, burned it into you, so when Aurora said she wouldn't break up with Jacob, you acted on instinct. Instinct your mother gave you."

Angel was tugging again. Ollie was no longer moving. Eyes glistening with tears, he was holding himself in the doorway between the balcony and the bar, staring at Abbie.

"You already confessed to hitting her," said Abbie. "You never said how hard, nor with what."

Angel stopped. For a second, only the wind moved as the group tried to process Abbie’s implication.

Then, the strength left Alice's legs. She went to her knees, then her behind, her hand to her mouth.

"Stop," she whispered, but Abbie knew going halfway was not an option.

"No matter what happens, Ollie, you may never forgive yourself. But I promise that if you walk out the door with that woman: if you run away, the guilt will eat you alive."

"Shut up," said Angel. "Baby, she doesn't know what she's talking about."

"I know exactly what I'm talking about," said Abbie. "And Ollie, I want you to remember what I told you this morning. I'd forgotten Aurora suffered a head injury. That was you, wasn't it?"

"Come on, Ollie," said Angel, but he pulled his hand free and stumbled forward.

"Yes," he said, and Alice let out a low groan. "It's like you said. She wouldn't break up with Jacob. She walked away, and there was a brick on the ground. I wasn't thinking. Didn't even know what was happening. One minute I was shouting after her and the next..."

He was unable to go any longer. Abbie stepped forward, her hand outstretched.

"But the moment she fell, you regained your senses, didn't you? You knew straight away what'd you'd done was wrong, right?"

Ollie nodded as though his life depended on it. "Yes. Yes, I knew."

"So what did you do?"

"I went to her."

"And then?"

"I checked her pulse."

"And she was alive?"

Another nod.

"She was alive," Abbie confirmed, more for Alice than Ollie.

"She was breathing," said Ollie. "There was a lot of blood, but I used my jacket to try stop it because I wanted to save her life. She wasn't speaking, but I told her it was going to be okay. I got out my phone. I was going to ring an ambulance."

"That's enough," said Angel.

"But you didn't ring an ambulance, did you?” said Abbie.

"I said: that's enough."

"Because your mother didn't only teach you it was okay to use violence to get what you wanted; she also drilled into you that you don't call the authorities when you have a problem. Matter of fact, you don’t ask anyone for help, except your family. Because this family doesn’t need anyone else.”

Alice moaned again.

Angel raised her gun, pointed it at Abbie. "Last chance."

"Please don't confuse me for someone you can intimidate,” said Abbie and turned back to Ollie. "You called your mother, didn't you?"

"I've had enough," roared Angel, but Alice was up again.

"Shoot Abbie, and I'll kill you," she said. Her tone was flat, emotionless. It left no room to disbelieve her vow.

Angel didn't lower her gun, but she trembled.

"Ollie, do not cross me on this."

"I called mum," he said. Then collapsed to his knees in floods of tears. "I called mum. I'm so sorry. I wanted to save her. I knew I should call an ambulance. I should have called an ambulance."

"You should," said Abbie. "Because when your mum arrived and saw Aurora bleeding on the ground, saving the girl didn't cross her mind." Abbie turned to Angel. "You knew if Aurora lived, she would tell Alice what Ollie had done. Protecting your son was a consideration, but it wasn't your main concern. Already, you knew about Jacob and Aurora—even though you’d not been told—and like with Tony and me, with Alex and Louis, you saw it as a betrayal. How dare the girl that you believed you had raised consort with the enemy. This was Romeo and Juliet, and you stepped up to play Tybalt. You wanted to protect your son, but more importantly, you wanted to punish your treacherous sister. Isn't that right, Angel?"

Shaking her head, Angel stepped back. She looked at her son. "You make me sick."

"You should make yourself sick," said Abbie, feeling the anger build. "Aurora was innocent, but you imagined her betrayal, and it infuriated you. I'd ask how long it took you to decide to end your sister’s life, but you know what? I'm afraid of the answer.”

Alice still had her gun raised. Sensing her time was running out, Angel grabbed Ollie's hand.

"Come on."

"What did I tell you this morning," said Abbie to Ollie. "You should feel guilty for attacking Aurora. You should hate yourself for it, but the primary blame still does not lie with you. You know who it lies with."

"I said, come on."

Angel yanked her son. She didn't expect him to yank back.

Their hands flew apart, and Ollie stumbled, but Angel collapsed to the cliff.

Silence. Angel stared at her son in shock. Ollie was stunned himself, then he got ahold of his senses and stepped forward until he hovered over his mother.

"I blame you," he said. "You killed my sister."

The words were a sucker punch to Angel, but she was swift to wash away the fury with a relaxed demeanour.

"Did I hit her?" she asked her son. “Not that I remember, but I know I saved you from prison."

"I didn't want to be saved from prison," roared