Page 127 of Maybe Tomorrow

‘It’s lovely to meet you officially, Anthony.’

They shook hands.

‘We’ve booked a room in a hotel nearby, Anthony, so you can relax and get reacquainted with your family,’ Jennifer said.

‘I want to go home,’ he said.

‘It’s a bit of a drive,’ Pauline said. ‘There’s a lot to do before we can go home.’

‘Like what?’

Jennifer and Freya exchanged a look. This was a private conversation they didn’t need to be a part of.

‘We’ll go on ahead,’ Jennifer said. ‘We’ll get everything sorted. Just follow on when you’re ready.’

‘Thank you,’ Leo mouthed.

‘What’s happened? Is everything all right? Why can’t we go home?’ Anthony asked, his words tripping over each other. He stepped back from his mum, a look of mistrust on his face.

‘Sweetheart, things haven’t been easy in the last ten years,’ Pauline began. ‘We’ve been working so hard to get you out, and Jennifer has helped a lot, but there’s only been so much she, and the charity, have been able to do for free. And because, in the eyes of the law, you were found guilty and the appeals failed, we weren’t able to get legal aid.’

‘I don’t know what you’re saying.’

‘I had to sell the house, Anthony,’ Pauline said.

‘What? Why?’

‘I needed the money. I lost my job at the nursing home. I couldn’t get another, not full-time as I was trying to find a way to help you. I…’ She struggled and looked to Leo for help.

‘Anthony, we talked it through, me and your mum, about the best way to raise some money, and selling the house seemed like the sensible option. Your mum moved in with me. We’ve turned the spare bedroom into your room.’

‘We’re all going to live together?’ He smiled.

‘Yes.’

‘I like that.’

Leo and Pauline exchanged a glance. They didn’t need to tell him the real truth behind Pauline selling the house because of the constant hate mail, silent phone calls and bricks through the window.

There was so much for Anthony to get used to, and too much information all at once would be confusing and upsetting for him. He didn’t need that. They’d drip-feed him what he needed to know as necessary. The first surprise would be the press conference. The second was that Whitby was no longer home for any of them.

ChapterFifty-Seven

For an hour, very little was said as Anthony, Pauline and Leo adjusted to the new normal. Anthony was a free man. He could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. They were in a suite of a Hilton hotel simply enjoying each other’s company without being watched over by prison officers earwigging their conversation.

Anthony was sitting on the comfortable king-size bed next to the window. He kept looking out at the cloudy sky. He had a simple smile on his face. He looked content, but there was a bewilderment in his eyes. Everything seemed alien to him.

‘Are you all right?’ Pauline asked.

He turned and looked at her. He didn’t say anything. He nodded.

‘Would you like another cup of tea?’

He looked down at the cup in his hand. He’d only half-drunk it. What was left was now cold.

‘I’m fine.’

‘Sweetheart, we need to do this press conference. It won’t take long.’