Road to Redemption - Michelle Dalton Page 0,47

widened as she straightened, “Why didn’t you tell me? Was that when Mr Dempsey called me in because you bliksemed that kid?”

He glanced back at Lullu, who was swallowing hard. His absence had caused his daughter pain.

“Ja, Ma. And no one’s tried to give me shit since.”

“Lullu Marie van der Westhuizen, you mind that mouth of yours, girl,” Mina chastised.

“Sorry, Ma.”

Ray bit back a smile and scraped together his courage. “Erm …” He stood, then sat again, not knowing where to look or put his hands and legs. “Lovie, I’m sorry you got teased because I am such a crap father.”

Lullu’s head snapped toward him and a large, starry smile opened up her sweet, beautiful face. “Agh, Daddy, don’t be silly. We tease each other all the time at school, and sometimes when it gets too much, we sort it out—or some of us do.” She glanced at Mina who sat eyes wide, staring at their daughter.

* * *

“So why do you think it no longer upsets you? The teasing, that is,” Vestra said.

“It never really did. Well, not after Oupa told me that people usually get ugly when they are jealous, so I figured it was because I have my mommy, live on this farm and have a horse—that’s why they were mean. I invited them over to visit, you know, so I could share some of my happiness with them. But they just got uglier so I figured they could do with a small attitude adjustment.”

Ray cupped his mouth in his hand to hide his grin.

“I always knew you would come back. Mommy never told me where you went, but I knew if Oupa was around, you would come home one day.”

Vestra glanced down at her notepad as she scribbled, trying to hide her smile, and Mina beamed through her tears.

“Lullu …” Mina said.

“I also found a photo of you and Dad when you were younger,” Lullu confessed.

Both Ray and Mina looked at each other, then to Lullu.

“I knew you were my dad. I have your hair.” She tugged on her ponytail. “And Ma looks happy now, like she did in the photo.”

Lullu’s words nearly brought Ray to his knees. Out of the mouths of babes.

“I prayed every night that Mommy would find you again. She needed to be loved. She was always loving everyone else and protecting everyone else. She needs you to do that for her now. You’re not a bad dad; you were just acting up, like I do sometimes too.” A cheeky grin was proffered to Mina, who simply chuckled through her tears.

Ray leaned across and wiped them away with his thumb. “And I promise you that is what I’ll do.” His voice broke.

“So, will Daddy move in to your room now?”

They left Ray to return to the now repaired mess hall for dinner with the remaining inmates. She’d only six of them left, but the good news was this looked to be the largest graduating success in the history of her rehab centre.

Lullu’s final question still rippled through Mina like a lost electrical current searching for its earth, as they approached her home.

“Thank you.” Mina wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulders as she and Vestra watched Lullu bolt up the steps toward the farmhouse.

“It’s only a pleasure, but Mina …”

They stopped and Mina sighed. “I know. I’ll be careful.”

Vestra smiled. “You’ve changed many people’s lives here at Redemption, but just because you love him, don’t allow it to blind you.”

“Is there something I need to know?” Mina’s stomach lurched.

“No. From the work I’ve been doing with Ray, I can honestly say he is giving it his best shot, and fuck me, I wish I had someone who looked at me the way he does at you. But there’s always that chance. He’ll always be an addict. There will always be a darkness waiting to pounce.”

Mina nodded as they continued their way up the steps. “I know. But I also know that no one person is perfect, and this time, he won’t face that darkness alone.”

15

Ray stood beside Lullu the next morning, as Mina walked out with Rochelle and Thomas. She was sad to see them go. She was really getting to know Rochelle on a different level and found that she enjoyed having family, because after everything that had happened, that was what they’d become.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t much help. But please remember I’m on the case,” Thomas said as he walked toward his double cab bakkie, placing his and Rochelle’s suitcase