Come Home- A Lindsay and Emily James One Shot

Chapter Two

Marion walked into the Police Station twenty minutes later with a new spring in her step. She couldn't wait to see Lindsay. She'd longed for the day that she could enter the Police Station without Lindsay, and come out with her by her side. That day was finally here.

A Policeman took her through to a tiny interview room. She took a seat at the small table, drumming her fingers nervously on the table as she waited for someone to come back in with Lindsay.

Moments later, the door opened, a blonde haired woman entering with a huge lever arch file in her hand. Behind her, was Lindsay. Marion couldn't hold in her tears as she dashed towards her, pulling her daughter into her arms. Lindsay didn't react, keeping her arms flat by her sides.

"Oh darling, how are you?" she asked, pulling apart from her to examine her face

Lindsay was pale and dishevelled. Her eyes were sunken and shadowed. She was skin and bone, her cheeks hollow and the grey jumper she was wearing was practically hanging off her. The sparkle from her striking brown eyes was no longer there. She didn't smile at her Mum, like Marion had been expecting. In fact, she didn't make any eye contact. She didn't look relieved or happy to see her at all. She was devoid of emotion.

"Sit down, Mum" she mumbled, almost robotically

They all sat down together, Lindsay sitting in the chair furthest away from her Mum.

"Mrs James, I'm Carol, Lindsey's lawyer. I've been asked to sit in today whilst we discuss Lindsay's plans for her release" the lady with the blonde hair explained

Marion nodded politely, shaking the woman's hand.

"Lindsay has made a decision about what she wants to do once she has been released today" Carol continued

"I can tell her myself" Lindsay snapped 

Carol shrunk back into the chair, urging for her to take over.

Marion looked at her daughter. She didn't understand what was going on. Lindsay looked straight through her, almost as if she wasn't there.

"Lindsay, what's going on?" she asked, concern laced in her voice

There was a long pause before Lindsay finally spoke.

"I'm not coming home Mum" she announced, still refusing to look at her

Marion stared at her, taken aback by the lack of emotion in her voice, the finality of it. This wasn't a decision she had come up with at the last minute, she had clearly thought this through meticulously. She'd probably been planning it for months.

Suddenly it all made sense, how tense their last conversation had been, why she hadn't been in touch for two months. All of it made sense.

And yet, she didn't understand.

"Lindsay, I-I don't understand. I thought you wanted to come home? I thought you wanted to come back to Rochdale and be back at home with me and Emily?"

"I've changed my mind, Mum. I don't want to come back to Rochdale, I've made other arrangements" she said defiantly

"What kind of arrangements?" Marion frowned

"We've managed to get Lindsey a flat in Leeds, she'll be staying there whilst she gets back on her feet" Carol chimed in

"Lindsey, you can't do this!" Marion pleaded

"She can, Mrs James. She is eighteen years old, what she does when she leaves here is up to her" Carol responded

"I don't need you to tell me how old my daughter is!" Marion snapped

She turned to Lindsay, silently pleading with her.

Lindsay stared at her blankly, emotionless once again.

"It's what I want, Mum. I'm not coming home, not ever" she responded

"Lindsay, please! You have to come home, I love you, and Emily loves you! She needs you!"

Lindsay didn't respond, continuing to stare at the wall blankly as Marion grew hysterical.

"Mrs James, Lindsay's decision is final; she has confirmed with me that this is what she wants. She'll have our support whilst she is getting back on her feet," Carol reasoned

"She doesn't need your support, she needs her Mother!"

"I DON'T WANT YOU!" Lindsay screamed, throwing the chair backwards into the wall 

Marion stared into Lindsay's cold, brown eyes. They were full of hatred, anger and resentment. And Marion didn't blame her daughter for resenting her. This was her fault, she had caused this. Now she was going to have to be the one to tell Emily that her sister wasn't coming home.

A Police Officer entered the room.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, looking between the two women

"Yes, fine, I think I'm done here. Carol, can you deal with the rest?" Lindsay answered

Carol nodded

"Lindsay, please?"  Marion whispered, her eyes streaming with tears

Lindsay pulled an envelope from her pocket, placing it on the table.

"Give this to Em, tell her I'm sorry" she said

It was then that Marion noticed that Lindsay finally had tears in her eyes. She turned away, leaving with the Police Officer.

The door banged shut, leaving Marion with the blonde lawyer, who was flipping through her ridiculously large folder.

"Right, Mrs James, Lindsay has requested for you to not contact her until she contacts you. Do you understand?" Carol asked, reading from a piece of paper from the folder

Marion nodded

"I have some clothes for her in the car; can you please give them to her? They were her favourites"

Carol nodded

"It will be alright, Mrs James. This isn't forever, Lindsay just wants some time to herself, and she needs to get herself back on her feet, to find herself again"

"How am I supposed to tell her little sister that she isn't coming home? I can't bear it" Marion sobbed

"The letter will tell her everything she needs to know" Carol reassured

"Look, I have to go and finalise the details with Lindsay now. I promise you she's safe with us. Why don't you wait in reception for me and I'll come and have a chat with you, ok?" she added

Marion nodded, wiping her tears as she exited the little room. She walked down the corridor, her mind racing, her heart pounding painfully against her chest. She had lost her daughter, potentially forever. And Emily had lost her sister. She didn't know which was worse.

Of course, she didn't blame Lindsay for not wanting to come home, not at all. But she wanted to know that she was going to be safe and looked after in Leeds, that she would be happy. It's all she wanted for Lindsay.

How was she going to break the news to Emily? How was she going to tell her she had been lying to her for weeks? Emily would never forgive her for this.

As she stepped outside, the cool February air hit her square in the face. She barely felt it, walking over to her car.

She opened the boot, opening the bag of clothes. Her eyes fell on the royal blue dress she had worn to her 16th birthday. Lindsay had been so happy that day, her Dad was away, and she was going out to celebrate with her friends. At the time, Marion had been surprised at Lindsay's relieved reaction to finding out her Dad would be away on her birthday. Now she knew why. Ironically, on that day, as Lindsay had modelled the dress in the house, she had felt sad that Lindsay's Dad was missing out on seeing her so happy. Now, she was relieved he hadn't been there. She was glad he was dead; she just wished Lindsay hadn't been pushed to her limits and been the one to commit the crime.

She put the dress back into the bag, zipping it up and carrying it back into the Police Station, where she handed it over to a Police Officer to give to Lindsay.

She then sat down, waiting for Carol to re-emerge.