Adele didn’t stay angry with her mother for long. With her grandma gone and Peter locked away, it seemed like her mother was the only person she had left. Over the coming months she gradually came to terms with the decision her parents had made all those years ago. She still didn’t like it but there wasn’t much she could do.
And what alternative was there? If her mother had attempted to bring Adele up alone, with no money, would life have been even harder? And if her mother had made a different decision, Adele might not even be here.
Her anger towards her mother was replaced by pity; it must have been dreadful to have been stuck with a man who disrespected you and showed you nothing but contempt. To realise that this was how the rest of your life was going to be. At least Adele could dream of a way of escape, but her mother didn’t even have that.
Where her father was concerned, Adele felt no pity. Despite her situation, Shirley still displayed some affection towards her children but with Tommy there was nothing. The notion that he had never wanted her and Peter festered in Adele’s mind. Each time he displayed contempt and anger towards her and her mother, he drove an even bigger wedge between himself and his daughter. Adele hated him and couldn’t wait to get away.
Despite all this, she found a way to cope. Adele’s burden had been eased a little since her father had returned to work. Most evenings he went for a drink straight from work so he wasn’t back until late. That made it easier for Adele to avoid him most of the time. But she could still hear the rows, which sometimes went on until the early hours and made it difficult for Adele to sleep.
The time for Adele’s exams was fast approaching. She hadn’t found it easy to continue her studies but she had persevered, fuelled by an inner strength. Whenever things got tough she closed her eyes and pictured her grandma. The memories gave her sustenance and enabled her to get through.
Adele was currently sitting in the sixth form unit after school. She paused in her writing and looked up at the calendar. It was only a little over two weeks until her first exam. But before that, in only a week’s time, she had something else to face. Peter was due home.
She was looking forward to having her brother back but there was also a feeling of dread that sat at the pit of her stomach; a fear that things would escalate. Peter would perhaps get into more trouble, and there was bound to be more conflict between Peter and her father.
Adele also wondered how Peter’s time inside would affect their relationship. Would he drift further away? She hoped not. Adele missed the closeness they had once shared and desperately hoped that he would return to her one day.
*
When Peter came home from the detention centre, she and her mother welcomed him heartily. They gave him something to eat and drink and Adele helped him put his clothes away in his room.
‘Good to be home, sis,’ he said.
Adele smiled on spotting a glimmer of his old self. ‘It’s nice to have you home,’ she replied. ‘I hope it wasn’t too bad for you.’
‘Nah,’ he said. ‘It was all right really.’ Adele noticed his lip tremble slightly. Despite his bravado she could tell that things can’t have been easy for him in the detention centre.
‘I wish you hadn’t have been in there when grandma died.’
‘Me too,’ he said. ‘Can’t wait to get in my own bed,’ he added, changing the subject as he patted his bed.
They went back downstairs and joined their mother in the kitchen. For a while they chatted amicably, catching up with local gossip and finding out a little more about Peter’s time inside. Adele was happy to have him back and for a short time all seemed fine. Then Tommy came home.
‘What the fuck’s he doing here?’ he demanded.
Any hope that he had forgiven Peter’s misdemeanours were destroyed by those few words. Their conversation ceased and they all stared silently at Tommy, waiting for the scene to unfold.
‘You heard me. What’s he doing here? You didn’t fuckin’ tell me he was due out!’ he said to Shirley.
‘I thought I had, sorry,’ Shirley mumbled.
‘It doesn’t make any fuckin’ difference anyway. I don’t want him here!’
‘Please, Tommy,’ Shirley pleaded. ‘He’s got nowhere else to go.’
‘I don’t give a shit! I don’t want the thieving little bastard here,’ he said. Then he turned to Peter. ‘You heard! You’re nothing but a little shithouse and your mates are even worse. Murdering bastards! Go and live with them. That’s all you’re fit for.’
‘I’m not going anywhere!’ said Peter. ‘I live here.’
Peter’s words struck Adele. She was inwardly pleading with him to go silently. To save them from Tommy’s wrath. But it was too late.
‘You what?’ shouted Tommy.
Without waiting for a reply, he strode across to Peter and struck him across the face. Peter tried to fight back but Tommy overpowered him, landing a few more punches on his face and torso. The smacking sound of Tommy’s heavy punches impacting with Peter’s flesh made Adele wince. A rumble of fear shot through her insides. Gripped by panic she hovered on the spot, wanting to help Peter but numbed with terror.
Adele looked across at her mother who remained motionless. Her eyes pleaded with Shirley to do something. But she did nothing. She was leaving it up to Adele again.
Before Adele could decide what to do, Tommy grabbed hold of Peter under his arms and shouted, ‘You’re fuckin’ going and that’s that!’ He then hauled Peter out of the back door and slid the bolt.
Outside Adele could hear Peter hammering on the back door and begging to be let back in.
Tommy pointed at Shirley and Adele in turn, ‘Don’t you fuckin’ dare let him back in!’ he warned. ‘And tell him, if he doesn’t fuckin’ shut it I’ll go out there and give him the hiding of his fuckin’ life!’
Shirley went to the back door and pleaded with Peter to go silently while Tommy ate his tea, banging his cutlery against the plate each time he took a forkful.
‘What the fuck are you waiting for?’ he asked Adele who was standing in the kitchen, unsure what to do next.
She ran up to her room, wary of inciting her father even more. Adele sat on her bed, wringing her sweaty hands and waiting for her heartbeat to return to normal. The sound of Peter pleading outside tore at her heart but she couldn’t do anything to help.
When she could no longer hear Peter, she went to the window and saw him make his way down the back passageway. She waved, trying to draw his attention but he didn’t see her.
Adele wanted to follow Peter but she was frightened of her father’s reaction. So she stayed where she was and watched him walk away. He had been back in her life for little more than two hours. Adele felt that any hopes of repairing their damaged relationship were now shattered. He would never come back home. And how could she visit him? She didn’t even know where he’d gone. She’d watched her father throw him out and done nothing to help.
While Peter had been at home, it seemed as though they had a chance of becoming close once more. But then her father had to go and spoil everything. She hoped Peter wouldn’t feel betrayed by her. But what if he did? She worried that things between them might never be the same again.