Chapter 64 Fenna – Day 13
They are at the hospital. Marianne’s body might be weak from the cancer and the shock of her heart attack, but she’s woken up.
‘How are you doing, Mum?’ Luke asks, pulling his chair closer to her bedside.
‘I’ve been better.’ Marianne coughs and the painful rattle echoes around the private room. A smiling nurse stands beside the wide window, the sky is overcast with heavy white cloud. The room is chilled by air-conditioning and has a funny, tang of antiseptic smell.
They left Alba with Julietta. Fenna is glad they did as she would have been shocked and upset seeing her grandma in such a terrible way.
She had no idea what to expect when they walked in.
Marianne looks tiny against the plump pillows.
Tubes and wires poke out from all angles.
A persistent beep-beep sounds from one of the many intimidating-looking machines around her.
Raffi is in his pushchair, the nurse kindly moved a chair out of the way so they could wheel him in. He sucks his dummy and stares up at the high ceiling. Oblivious to the elephant in the room – they made a decision not to mention Rosie’s name.
Gerry hasn’t taken his eyes off his wife. He looks like he’s aged ten years. He carefully pats Marianne’s hand, mindful of the cannula in her hand.
‘The doctor thinks your mum is going to be ok.’ He sniffs.
All Fenna can do is match everyone’s smiles, try and act jubilant at this news. But inside she’s churning over what she read. Her mother-in-law’s words, in her own handwriting, on pages and pages of high-quality note paper, telling her story.
Except, this was no work of fiction.
This was Marianne’s memoir.
The truth about what happened at the lake house all those years ago.
At first Fenna couldn’t believe her eyes. Alba’s innocent singing as she scribbled on the sheet of paper faded into the background as she turned over page after page. An icy chill washed over her with each new revelation.
Richard is Theo’s father. He and Marianne covered up for their son’s behaviour. They put his freedom first, instead of coming clean about the young girl’s tragic drug overdose. They disposed of Danielle’s body, tampered with evidence, and have lied to everyone for all this time.
Marianne wanted everyone to believe they were this perfect family. But that was a lie.
Fenna had to go back and re-read each page to make sure it sank in.
It was no coincidence that I asked everyone to Laprezia during the anniversary. I suppose I needed to have my boys close to me. Remind myself I’m not a terrible human. Fifteen years on and the nightmares don’t go away. Her face haunts me.
‘She’s still on a lot of drugs so may fall asleep quickly,’ the nurse explains in near-perfect English. ‘But we’re pleased with her progress.’
As if on cue, Marianne’s eyelids droop. She tries to fight the rest her body craves.
The nurse turns to Gerry. ‘You should go and rest, too.’
He looks exhausted but starts to protest that he’s fine.
‘No, she’s right. You should go. We can stay,’ Luke orders.
Gerry reluctantly agrees and kisses Marianne’s cheek before he leaves them alone.
‘Will you sit with her if I go to the bathroom?’ Luke asks Fenna, stroking his mum’s hair, gazing at her like the adoring son he is.
Fenna nods. She waits until the door to the ensuite closes with a click before she stands up and steps towards her sleeping mother-in-law. She stands beside her bed and leans down. The smell of antiseptic hits her nostrils.
‘Rosie and I found your paintings.’
Marianne doesn’t move. Her bare lips part with soft snores. The medication must be strong.
Fenna shakes with uncontrollable anger. She thinks of Rosie suffering in the police station and all the lies Marianne has told. She’s kept this secret for fifteen years.
‘I read your journal. I know what you and Richard did,’ Fenna whispers in Marianne’s ear.
Any mother would protect her child, no matter the cost. The cost was that poor girl.
‘You knew what happened to Danielle.’ Fenna’s voice is hoarse. ‘You’ve always known.’
I wasn’t thinking about her family. I was thinking about protecting mine.
Luke is humming to himself in the bathroom. She glances at Raffi in his pushchair. He is awake and alert but surprisingly still. The toilet flushes. She watches Marianne’s chest rise and fall and tries to work out what to do next.