Réiltín sat at the front desk wishing she hadn’t gone up to let LB know her dad was on the phone. But it was Antsy. She couldn’t just tell him, ‘Oh, hello Antsy slash Mr Behan – she didn’t even know which – no, sorry, you can’t talk to your daughter.’ Réiltín had read most of the stories online about him earlier. The news was so awful if it was true. But at least she was able to fill LB in on most of it before she made it to the office. All she could hear now was sobbing. She couldn’t hear any of the details, but whatever it was that LB’s dad had said to her when she came on the call had made LB burst into tears. Since then she’d been sobbing through most of it. Réiltín didn’t really want to be there, but she had to stay in case Johnny came back. And in case LB needed someone to talk to after.
LB was sitting on the floor in Johnny’s office, her back against his desk, her cheeks hot and damp with tears. Her breath was shaky with sobs.
‘LB – LB, baby – calm down,’ said her father.
‘How am I supposed to calm down?’ cried LB. ‘You cheated on Mom!’
‘Not exactly…’
‘Oh my God, what?’
‘I mean… your mom and I… we—’
‘Oh my God – stop,’ said LB. ‘I don’t want to know. I don’t want to have this conversation.’
‘I’m sorry you saw the paper. I didn’t want you to stumble across—’
LB looked around Johnny’s office. ‘Oh my God. This is why I’m here! Is this why I’m here?’
Silence.
‘Is this why I’m here?’ she said again.
‘You should see outside our gates,’ said her dad. ‘I couldn’t have you—’
‘So you knew this was coming, and you just made a decision – ship LB off?’
‘With your friends—’
‘What? You shipped them off too?’
‘No, I meant… this was an opportunity – your Irish teacher – with him leaving—’
‘So you “encouraged” all the other parents, did you? Talked it up? Said you’d pull the strings, looked like a hero? Oh my God. Who does that? And who can ever say no to Antsy?’
‘Come on, LB – this was good for you and the guys. I wasn’t sending you to a workhouse.’
‘No – an asylum!’
‘Come on – I knew you’d think that was fun if you found out.’
LB paused. ‘It kind of was, but…’
‘Look, I knew you’d be safe, and you’d be with your friends,’ said her dad, ‘and I knew you’d look after each other…’
LB broke down and spoke through sobs. ‘But… I just… want… you… to look after me.’
Rupert was sitting on the bed with Lockie’s laptop. Kelly was standing by the door, ready to leave.
‘Poor LB,’ she said.
‘It still could be lies, all lies,’ said Rupert.
Kelly nodded over to him. ‘Are you still searching?’
‘Of course I am!’ said Rupert, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the screen. He paused, and did a dramatic double-take. ‘Ooh, did we all know that Réiltín’s mom used to be a stylist… and she worked with Antsy?’
Kelly rushed over. Rupert enlarged a photo. ‘Antsy, Caruvi – that’s her mom’s name, right? – rest of the band, Johnny and Suze Metcalfe at Le Petit something…’
‘Oh my God, that’s Johnny Owner!’ said Kelly. ‘He was hot.’
‘And,’ said Rupert, ‘his attic wife was, at least, alive in…’ He squinted at the screen. ‘In 2003.’ He sat back and looked up at Kelly. ‘Think that might explain the rumours you heard about Réiltín’s framed poster art, don’t you? Doesn’t your mom have some too? Aren’t they given as gifts?’
Kelly got up and walked over to the door. ‘I better get back to LB.’ She paused. ‘Why wouldn’t Réiltín have said to LB that her mom used to work for her dad?’
Amber nodded. ‘I know – they get on so well.’
Kelly’s eyes sparked with anger. ‘Actually,’ she said, ‘Réiltín probably didn’t know. Her mother was probably just freelance. It wasn’t like she was staff.’
‘Or,’ said Rupert, ‘maybe she did tell her. Do you all tell each other everything?’
‘Yeah,’ said Lockie. ‘You’re all so obsessed with knowing stuff about each other and who knows what and who cares?’ He turned to Rupert. ‘Like, Rupert, do you know what jocks I’m wearing today?’
‘I do!’ said Rupert. ‘I laid out your entire outfit on the bed.’
Everyone laughed.
‘Seriously, though,’ said Lockie, ‘just calm down, everyone.’
‘I am calm!’ said Kelly.
‘Regardless,’ said Rupert, looking at her, ‘do you really think that LB would find you particularly receptive to conversations about Réiltín?’
Kelly laughed. ‘OK, no. Not unless they’re about her dropping off the face of the earth.’