Chapter 39
With the morningtour out of the way, we were heading to one of the campsites within the national park. The walking track needed to be checked to ensure it was in good condition and the bathrooms needed their routine clean. Bailey and Rose had been unusually quiet.
“Mum,” Rose said from the backseat, “Why were the police here?”
Ethan glanced at me. We hadn’t realised they’d seen or heard anything. “Your dad came on a tour today to ask if he can see you.”
“I don’t want to see him,” Rose declared.
“I know, Rose. I have told him you and Bailey aren’t ready.”
“Then why does he keep coming?”
I glanced in the rearview mirror. Bailey was staring out the window, listening but not engaging. Ethan looked over his shoulder.
“The police have told him he needs to speak to a solicitor. Do you know what a solicitor is?” I asked.
Rose nodded. “They help with the law.”
“That’s right. Our solicitor will help make sure that your dad sees you only after the family court says he can, when you’re ready.”
“I don’t want to see him. He’s a bad person.”
“I know.”
Bailey was still quiet. What was he thinking about back there? Was he as scared as Rose? It wasn’t good for him to bottle his feelings up.
We parked at the campground and hopped out of the car. There was a cleared area for tents and campers which surrounded a fire pit and a small amenities block.
“Bailey and I will clean the amenities. You can start out here,” Ethan said.
I cocked my head. It was unusual for him to take charge like that. “Come on, Rose, let’s make sure the area around the fire pit is clean. It will stop any accidental fires.”
She skipped away and I followed. Ethan and Bailey went into the bathroom.
“You were quiet in the car,” Ethan said, the sound travelling easily across the space.
Rose was singing to herself, clearing the area and paying no attention to the conversation I was listening to. I imagined Bailey shrugging.
“Do you want to see your dad?”
Silence. Was there a shrug or a shake of the head? Maybe a nod? Was my fear stopping him from having a relationship with Max?
“No. I hate him.” Bailey’s voice was quiet. “It was my fault Mum nearly died.”
My heart squeezed. I wanted to hug him. I wanted to tell him it wasn’t his fault.
“Your dad did a very bad thing. He did it. Not you.” Ethan’s voice was insistent but gentle.
“I let him into the house.”
“Bailey, you were six years old. He tricked you. You didn’t know what he was going to do.”
“As soon as I opened the door, I knew I shouldn’t have.” Bailey was crying. “He was…he was really angry. His face was red and all screwed up.” His voice was filled with tears and anguish.
What was Ethan doing? Was he comforting him? I turned to Rose. She was nearly finished. “Can you check the walking track for me, please? See if the signage is good? Don’t go too far though.”
She nodded and set off.
“It’s OK, Bailey. It’s OK,” Ethan said, his voice soothing. “Your smart thinking saved your mom and Rose. You called the police. You saved them.”
Bailey slowly regained control of his sobbing. Ethan led him out of the bathroom and sat on a log with him. I took that as my cue to join them and sat beside Ethan.
“Why did he have to come back?” Bailey asked.
“I think people like your dad don’t like losing,” Ethan said.
“What do you mean?”
“My dad was mean to me all the time. I would try to do what he wanted but it was never good enough. Was your dad like that?”
Bailey nodded.
“He did that because he wanted to control you. And he still wants to. That’s why he came back.”
“How can we make him leave?”
“I don’t know. I hope the police will help us like they helped you that night.”
I loved how honest Ethan was. He didn’t hide the truth but delivered it with empathy. How did he learn that with such shit parents? Maybe his grandparents and brother. He didn’t speak about them much, perhaps because he missed them.
I turned to face them. “In the meantime, Ethan and I will protect you and Rose.”
Bailey’s serious brown gaze settled on me. “And Ethan will protect you, Mum.” He turned his attention to Ethan, searching his face.
Ethan nodded.
“You’re nothing like my dad,” Bailey said.
Ethan squeezed Bailey’s shoulder. Did he believe Bailey’s words? I did. I hoped he did too. He deserved to be free from his fears.
“I’m going to check on Rose.” Ethan stood, looking around us.
“Ask Rose to help you put up some signs around the widow maker,” I said.
“The what?” Ethan tilted his head.
I pointed to a eucalyptus tree. “They’re known to drop limbs. If you look up in the canopy, you can see dead branches. They weigh the other branches down and can fall in windy conditions. If you’re standing or camping underneath, it could kill you.”
Ethan craned his neck.
“The widow part,” I explained, “is because in the old days, most forestry workers were male. They die. They leave a widow.”
Ethan looked around at the other trees. “That makes sense.”
“We put signs around the ones we think might be a problem, so people stay away.”
Ethan nodded.
“The signs are in the back of the truck.”
He left us sitting together. I shuffled closer to Bailey and held his hand. “I want you to know I don’t blame you. I blame myself for not leaving earlier.”
“You were brave,” Bailey said.
“You were brave, too.” I gave him a fierce hug.
“We’re lucky to have Ethan now,” Bailey said.
“We are.” I stood. “Let’s get back to work.”
But did we truly have Ethan? In less than four months, he would be gone.
I never thought I’d trust or feel this way about another man after Max. Max had broken me in more than one way. I believed now that I was the person I was meant to be. And Ethan never tried to take that away from me.
I trusted him. And I wanted him.