Page 68 of The Happy Family

‘Why would I do that and miss out on seeing the police arrest you?’ she asks me.

‘They’re on their way?’

‘You better believe it,’ Sadie says. ‘They’ve been told that you threatened me with a knife and when they see the footage to back it up, what will you say then?’

‘Planting a camera in someone else’s home is illegal,’ I try, but Sadie just laughs.

‘Okay, so we’ll both face the full force of the law and see who comes out worse,’ she replies with a shrug. ‘I have a feeling it won’t be me.’

I can see that Sadie doesn’t care what laws she might have broken, only that she has been able to finally catch me out. But while she might be willing to risk prison time, I am not. Especially not when I hear a siren in the distance that sounds like it’s getting closer.

‘Here they come,’ Sadie tells me. ‘I hope you’re ready to face the consequences. I hope you’re ready to get everything you deserve after taking my family from me.’

As more sirens are audible, I realise this is really happening. I am going to stand here and be arrested in front of both Sadie and my son.

‘So much for the family woman,’ Sadie says with a shake of her head. ‘I’ll be sure to tell Reid and my children that you were willing to abandon them to save your own skin.’

The sirens are louder. The cars are almost here. They’re going to come round this corner at any moment. As the seconds tick by, the sicker I feel.

‘I can’t go to prison,’ I say honestly. ‘I won’t survive there. I can’t do it.’

‘You should have thought about that before you committed all your crimes,’ Sadie says in response, showing no sympathy.

‘I’m serious,’ I go on, starting to panic. ‘I can’t be arrested. I can’t live in a prison cell. I can’t do it.’

I look down at Jude then and realise this is the last time I’ll ever be able to do something for him. Then I look back to Sadie.

‘Please will you make sure he is looked after?’ I beg of her. ‘Reid has to raise him without me around. I know you hate me, but my son has done nothing wrong, so please, promise me that you will make sure he is looked after.’

‘You can make sure of it yourself,’ Sadie says, looking slightly surprised at my sudden plea. ‘You can have contact from prison. There can be visits. Reid will send you updates. You are evil, but you are a mother, so you will get what you deserve as far as your rights as a parent. I will see to that because I know what it’s like to be separated from your children and I wouldn’t wish that feeling on my worst enemy.’

‘No, you don’t understand,’ I say, shaking my head this time. ‘I’m not going to prison.’

Without giving it another thought, because it would only cause me to lose more time that I do not have, I take off running, leaving behind Sadie, the safety of the pavement, and most of all, my son in his pram. I was tempted to give him one last kiss goodbye, but it felt too hard. Too emotional. I’m ashamed to say it would also have been too time-consuming. All because I want to try and run away. I want to make one last break for freedom. Just me, no one else. All alone again, like I was before I got my family. Maybe it was always meant to be this way. Maybe I was never destined to have a partner or children or happiness. Maybe I should have stayed single and left family fun to other people. I don’t know. I just keep running while Sadie calls for me to come back and Jude starts crying and the sirens get louder.

I keep running across the street and I’m almost at the other side when a police car comes speeding around the corner and both the driver and I know it is already too late.

He can’t stop in time.

I can’t avoid getting hit.

As the vehicle collides with me, I see what Sadie saw for so long while she was in her coma.

I see nothing but black.

ONE MONTH LATER

FORTY-FIVE

REID

Many parents wonder which parts of them their children will inherit. But while most talk about personality traits, eye colour or height, there is something far more serious and sinister that I have to think about when it comes to my son.

Does he take more after me or his mother?

I hope he’s going to be like his dad.

I hope he’s not going to be evil like his mum.