Time To Play by KA Richardson

Author:KA Richardson [Richardson, KA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-04-14T16:00:00+00:00

Connor’s Parents’ House, Sunderland – 11 November

Connor screeched to a halt outside his parents’ house and ran inside. He’d had an absolute nightmare of a day. He’d ended up being nominated lead diver with Marlo and had spent the better part of three hours in the freezing cold North Sea, alternating being in the water with a little time on the boat to warm up. God damn training exercises. Just once he’d like to have a day where training consisted of sitting inside, with a cup of coffee and his feet up.

He sighed as he reached the front door, his body shivering slightly. Even now, a couple of hours since they’d gone back inside the nick, he was bitterly cold. He had been looking forward to a nice, hot bath and a couple of beers, and had just got in his car when his phone had rung.

His mother screaming down the phone had chilled him more than the temperature of the sea water could, and he’d broken every speed limit getting to the house.

Hearing his mum scream again from inside, he pushed the door open and practically ran inside.

Racing into the living room, he found his dad towering over his mum, his fist raised. His mum already blood streaming from her nose and a bruise forming on her cheek. She had an arm raised, trying to protect herself as her husband brought his fist towards her again.

‘Dad!’ screamed Connor, pushing himself between his parents. ‘Stop it!’ He felt his face burn as the blow meant for his mum glanced off the side of his chin.

Immediately his dad looked distraught and devastated as the red haze lifted and he realised what he’d done. He took in the pain-filled incomprehension on his wife’s bruised face, and he started to sob, falling to his knees and putting his hands over his face. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry. What have I done?’

Connor was torn.

What the hell was he supposed to do? His dad loved his mum, he knew he did, but that couldn’t excuse this behaviour. He could have killed her. Connor knew how hard it was when his mum wasn’t lucid: heck, he had the fading bruises and scabbed scratches to prove it. But his dad was supposed to look after her and protect her; not lose it and beat the crap out of her.

He sighed deeply as he pulled out his mobile phone. He knew what he needed to do.

‘Wouldn’t do that if I were you, lad. I’ll take care of this mess.’ Fred’s voice came from the doorway to the hall. ‘You ring this in and your dad will be arrested for domestic assault. Your mum will be shipped off to some godforsaken home where she’ll wither away in a pool of her own piss.’

‘He hit her, Fred. I can’t just do nothing. I’ve got an obligation to report—’

‘You have an obligation to your family,’ said Fred, grabbing Connor’s arm and pulling him into the hallway, and shutting the living room door with a soft click.

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