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My heart is like a heavy stone in my chest. Neither Bill nor I speak. I don’t want to agree, because I have this sinking feeling that by ‘this’, she means us. And I’m not going to let her just end things without a discussion. No. That’s not going to happen.
She’s mine, and she knows it is. She looked into my eyes. She felt that same connection that I felt. This is never going to be over.
Candace walks around the couch and sits down again, though this time she doesn’t press against me. She sits apart, steely, her back straight and her eyes cold as she looks right down the lens. I want to reach for her hand, but I get this strange impression that it will feel like ice.
“This is not going to go any further,” she says. “Dad, you’re going to drop any idea of calling the police or speaking out to anyone about what you’ve just said. In fact, you’ll never share this conversation or what happened here in Melbourne with anyone. You’ll make me a promise about that.”
No one says anything. Bill’s expression has calmed down, no longer bright red and spitting fury. But he doesn’t look happy either. For my part, I feel like I’m suspended on hooks. The first part was for her dad. What pound of flesh does she want from me?
“And Sean,” she says, her voice only faltering slightly when she says my name. “You’re going to go home. You’re going to catch your flight. In exchange for Dad’s silence… I’m going to catch my flight, too. And that’s it. It’s over.”
“No,” I croak, immediately, because I knew it was coming. There’s no way I can accept this. No way in hell that it will ever sit well with me. I need her. Can’t she see that I need her?
“Yes,” Candace says desperately. She turns to me, and I see the moment that steely determination and resolve break. Not because she is changing her mind, but because she can’t bear to pretend she isn’t dying inside anymore. “Don’t you see? Sean, he’s going to ruin your life. You might even end up in prison. It doesn’t matter that you’re innocent – that hasn’t helped all those people who get wrongly convicted all the time. It’s the only way I can keep you safe. He’s never going to let us be together.”
“Good,” Bill grunts from the phone screen. “Then you’d better get out the door and get to the airport. I’ll pick you up when you land, and we can get back to normal.”
“Normal?” Candace says, turning to face him again. Her tone is bitter. “You’re making me give up the love of my life. I don’t think anything’s ever going to be normal between us again. But if this is what I have to do in order to keep him safe, then so be it.”
Bill’s expression falters for the first time. I see it. She sees it too.
“I can’t accept this,” I say, trying to push home the advantage. “This isn’t right. I don’t care what he says about me. I don’t care what they do to me. I’ll take it all. You’re worth it.”
“No, Sean,” Candace says, ripping her hands away when I reach for them. “I can’t do that to you. Don’t you understand? To hear people saying those horrible things about you – it would kill me. You don’t deserve any of that. You’re a good man. Honest and kind. And I won’t throw you to the wolves just so I can be happy at your side.”
“This is ridiculous,” Bill scoffs. But I can see that even he doubts what he’s saying, now. “You’re putting on this whole pantomime just to make me drop the idea of calling the police.”
“It’s not a pantomime,” Candace says, her voice powerful and firm. “Making false accusations like that can destroy someone. I can’t believe you’re even willing to do it. But since you are, you’re forcing your own daughter to sacrifice her shot at happiness to prevent it. I hope that satisfies you.”
“He isn’t your shot at happiness,” Bill says. The wind sounds like it has gone out of his sails completely. “He’s just another man. You’ll find someone you love. Someone closer to your own age.”
“Not like this,” Candace says fiercely, looking at me. The way she looks, it’s like she’s trying to memorize my face. “Never again like this.”
“He doesn’t look at you the same way,” Bill says. His voice is wheedling now, persuading, no longer yelling. “Sweetie, you’re young. You don’t know what love is really like. I know this might seem like everything to you now, but to him, it’s just another fling. He’s not serious. He can’t be, not with the way he lives. He’s not even based anywhere close to us. You’re going to give up your whole life, your family and friends, all your plans, for him?”
