Where was Jane? Why had she disappeared like that? I went back to my suitcase, hoping I’d missed something…some clue as to where she might have gone. But all I found was an envelope of money, a silent reminder that my daughter had been planning this for a long time.
The thought made me sick to my stomach.
For weeks, I cried out everything that had come to a boil, until suddenly my phone rang, and it was a video call. My heart jumped to my throat when I saw Jane’s name on the screen. My hands trembled as I pressed the ‘Reply’ button and saw my daughter’s face.
‘Jane? Where are you? Are you okay?’
There was a long pause on the other end of the wire before she answered, looking devastated and tired. ‘Mum, I’m so sorry.’
‘Sorry for what? Jane, what’s going on? Where are you?’
‘I’m fine Mum, but I can’t tell you where I am. I’m on a secret work assignment.’
‘Jane, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?’
‘Don’t worry mum. I’m safe, I’m fine and I’ll be back soon,’ my daughter said, failing to convince me.
‘I don’t believe you. Why can’t I see you properly?’ I asked.
‘Mum, you’re stressing me out! There’s nothing wrong with me. Please put Tommy on the phone, I want to talk to him.’
I sighed but did as she asked. Not to speak to me again, as soon as she finished talking to Tommy, she hung up.
When I tried to call back, she didn’t pick up as the number was switched off! I sat there, kneading my hands and looking at the ominous blue bag….
I had always kept the identity of Tommy’s father hidden. I knew who he was, but I swore to my mother I didn’t. The truth about him was much darker… I knew he was a dangerous man.
I overheard that he was back in town, and I knew I had to act quickly. I couldn’t let him know Tommy existed. If he found out, I was afraid he might take him away, use him, or worse…..
I panicked, packed Tommy’s things, and tried to pretend this was a normal visit to Grandma’s. But this time it was different. I had to erase all traces of Tommy from my house. So I packed up his clothes and his toys.
I even took his pictures off the walls and took them with me. I didn’t want to risk Alex showing up at my house and putting everything back together. I knew it meant sacrificing time with my son for a few weeks, but I couldn’t risk it.
I knew for a fact that my mum would keep my son safe. But I felt sad that I couldn’t tell her the truth. How could I admit that I had been lying all this time? How could I admit that Tommy’s father wasn’t some forgotten schemer, but the very real threat to our family?
Weeks passed, and there was no word from Jane. Every day I woke up with dread in my stomach. I wondered every day if they would call me today and tell me that she had been found, or worse, that something had happened to her.
I did my best to keep things normal for my grandson, but it was difficult. He asked about Mum every day and I had to lie, telling him she would be back soon, when in fact I had no idea if she was even coming back….
After weeks of being scared and hearing nothing from Alex, I finally decided it was safe to come back. My heart ached with longing for my son, but I knew I had done everything necessary to protect him.
When Jane arrived she looked haggard, but relieved. When Tommy saw her, he rushed to her with a joyful squeal, and for a moment it seemed that all was well again! But as I watched them, I couldn’t escape the feeling that it wasn’t over yet.
Jane had built her life on secrets and lies, and now they followed her everywhere like a shadow. When she finally picked up her suitcase to leave, her hands trembled slightly, a reminder of the burden she was carrying.
She turned to me, her eyes full of gratitude and sadness at the same time.
‘Mum,’ she said quietly, ’I will never be able to tell you how much this means to me. But I still can’t tell you anything about my assignment. I’m so sorry.’
I nodded, hugging her tightly. ‘Just promise me you’ll be safe, Jane. That’s all I ask.’
‘I promise,’ she whispered, even though we both knew
that I was worried that it was a promise she might not keep.
As I watched her drive away with Tommy, my heart ached with love and fear. I knew she had done what she had to do to protect her son, but I also knew that the journey ahead would be long and difficult.
The relief of having her back was immense, but the secrets Jane had created would haunt her forever. As they drove away, I stood at the door and whispered a prayer for the safety of their journey…leaving their fate in God’s hands.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but fictionalised for creative purposes. Names, characters and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental and is not intended by the author.