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I have to do this.
Arran finally stopped talking and Judy laughed. Rhona’s heart missed beat after beat. How could she do this?ButI have to.
‘Mum, Dad…’ Blood raced to her head, singeing her cheeks. ‘Arran.’
‘What?’ He leaned his forearms on the back of a chair.
‘Is something wrong?’ Judy poured boiling water into a cup. ‘You look like you need a coffee. Shall I make you one?’
‘No thanks. I have to tell you all something.’
Alister glanced up from his book.
Rhona swallowed and tried to draw in a breath; it rattled in her lungs. If she’d had the nerve to do this back in Crete and approached the directors immediately about Annike, she might have got somewhere with her complaint, but she’d shied away from it. She couldn’t afford to do that now.
‘What about?’ Judy frowned, her mug poised at her lips.
‘Calum Matheson.’
‘Fuck’s sake,’ muttered Arran. ‘What’s he done?’
‘Language.’ Alister slapped his book on the table and glared at Arran.
Rhona clenched her fists at her sides. ‘I’ve been seeing Calum for several weeks. And I don’t mean at work.’
‘You what?’ Arran clutched the back of the chair.
Judy grabbed a seat and sunk into it. ‘Good god.’ She pressed her fingers to her forehead. ‘Why?’
‘Why do you think?’ Rhona said. ‘I like him. We like each other.’
‘No way.’ Arran shoved the seat and turned away, ruffing up his hair. ‘Just no way. What has the creep done? Are you pregnant? Is he blackmailing you? I will fucking kill him if he’s done anything to you.’
‘No, Arran. He isn’t a creep and he isn’t a criminal.’
‘This is ridiculous.’ He held his hand to the top of his head, glowering and grating his teeth.
‘It really is,’ Judy said.
‘Rhona.’ Alister’s voice was calm but stern. ‘If you choose to forget what he did to your brother that’s your business but I can’t forget. I will never forget. I was a teacher in the school. How can I forget being called to the office to find him there beaten and bruised? Calum Matheson is an animal.’
‘He could have killed Arran,’ said Judy. ‘I still wish we’d pressed charges.’
‘What stopped you?’ Rhona said.
‘Arran didn’t want to, which was big of him.’
‘He didn’t dare show face in school ever again,’ said Alister. ‘He doesn’t even have high school leaving qualifications. He’s a wheeling and dealing villain who makes money out of people’s misfortune. I hoped he’d find remorse himself but—’
‘He has,’ Rhona said.
‘Ha.’ Arran scoffed. ‘I don’t know what lies he’s told you—’
‘He hasn’t told me any lies.’ Rhona seized the back of a chair, steadying herself. ‘But you have.’ She looked slowly at him. ‘Why don’t you tell them why he attacked you? And why you didn’t want them to press charges.’
‘It doesn’t matter why,’ Judy said.
‘Yes, it does.’ Rhona dug her nails into her palm. ‘Tell them, or I will.’
