Free Facing the World by Grace Thompson

Secret love, how romantic it sounded. Yet this time she was filled with deep disappointment . If his exams were finished, why hadn’t he told her he was coming home to face the accusations and get their relationship on a firm base?
    She walked to the door, opened it and looked out. She wanted to run after him, stand beside him as he told his parents the truth but she couldn’t leave Sadie. She tried to calm herself, she mustn’t get impatient after all this time. He was probably already planning their reunion and intending a wonderful surprise. She slid into her lonely bed and tried to relive the short time he had been with her, remembering how he had looked down at their sleeping daughter with such love and pride. It would be all right and very soon the empty years, the accusations, the sneering remarks would be nothing more than unimportant memories. She slipped into sleep, imagining his expression of joy when he learned about their second child.
     
    Rhys moved slowly and carefully through the gardens, taking the long way round to keep out of sight for longer, cutting through the corner of the woods that led down to the old mill; a scene of his many fights with David Gorse. Feeling his way, avoiding anything that would give away his presence, his shadow an occasional companion, he heard nothing to indicate the presence of another soul. It was reminiscent of the games he used to play as a small boy, he mused, unaware then of how useful it would be to move silently all these years later.
    Jimmy Prosser saw him and watched as he made his way towards Valmai and Gwilym’s house. He had been on the way to the mill and wondered whether the man had been sleeping there and whether it was he who had lost the mine worker’s token some months ago. Putting down the cakes and fruit he’d brought for a lonely midnight meal, he followed, excited at the impromptu game. Although theyhad been neighbours until a few years ago, Jimmy didn’t recognize him, partly because he wouldn’t expect to see him there.
    Rhys’s eyes became accustomed to the poor light, and as he neared the houses, the faint glow from the streetlamps at first made the darkness more intense, then the extra light added to his ability to see his way. He cut into a path leading from Mill Road to the old mill and quickly became aware of someone following him and he made a circle and came up behind Jimmy. He was relieved to see it was a young boy, although he didn’t recognize him in the shadowy semi-darkness . He stood perfectly still until the boy had moved away, using his ears to ensure he hadn’t turned off the path to do the same as he had done and come up behind him.
    Puzzled by the man’s disappearance, Jimmy shrugged and went back for his midnight picnic, disappointed that he wouldn’t have company. Even David Gorse, whom he sometimes met and who ate more than his share, was better than no one.
     
    Rhys knocked softly on his parents’ door. He heard his mother say, ‘That’ll be Netta, run out of milk or something. Come in, Netta,’ then as the living room door opened she leapt to her feet. ‘Rhys!’
    Gwilym almost rose to his feet as well, forgetting in that moment of utter disbelief that he had been wheelchair-bound for over two years. He sat back and held out both arms. Rhys held them both, emotion making speech impossible.
    ‘Mam, Dad, I’m so sorry for what I’ve put you through.’
    ‘Why?’ Gwilym said, the words choked and guttural. ‘That’s what we want to know. Why did you leave?’ He couldn’t ask whether his son had been guilty of the thefts of which he’d been accused but the words were there, wanting to be said.
    ‘Guilty or not we’re your parents and we’d have supported you. Surely you know that?’
    Valmai was less inhibited. ‘Did you do all those burglaries?’
    Rhys led his mother to the couch where they sat close to Gwilym in his chair. He reached for their hands and said, ‘No, Mam, I didn’t, but there’s some