We left the café and I thank Lucy for distracting Becca. We went to the police station and showed them the picture of the curry house guy. When we got home I put Miles in his crib he had fallen asleep on the ride home. I called Amy she tells me her father is out on bail and she has nothing to do with him anymore.
"Cassie there's a money trail that I've been following. I think my father is the one making things difficult for you".
"Do you have a sister?" I ask her.
"I know my father has another daughter but we're not close. We have different mothers".
I knew what I wanted to ask her I steeled myself to ask it, "Amy two woman I knew was approached by a woman who's descriptions matches yours. Again are you involve in all this please tell me how you knew about my son's existence. I can't trust you if you're not honest with me", I say to her.
"I think it was my half sister she's not mentally stable and at times hated me because I was that man's favourite. "Oh god", she started to cry I knew what she was thinking.
I give her time to compose herself, "I was wrong for what I did to you and Alex and wasn't thinking straight when I was planning my revenge. She must have found the plans I made. I just don't know where my dad fits into all this".
"I think you should give the police what you have so far on your father and tell them what you just told me. Oh and Amy thank you for telling me the truth finally and for helping us. How's William doing?"
"He's in therapy and we're waiting for a trial date Cassie he doesn't like being in this house".
"If a lot of the abuse happened there the house is a reminder of it everytime he steps through the door. You need to move someplace new where you can both start to make new memories away from Ethan".
She clears her throat, "Do you thing William will ever get over this. I mean look at you Cassie you're so strong, you're the role model I want him to look up to".
"It's different for each person I can't give you an answer. Every victim need to find their own individually way of healing from theirs scars. Love him Amy till he starts to believe it. Be honest with him so he knows it's okay to be honest with you.
Ask him about his friends find out if he's into anything he shouldn't be. When the trial is over please think about the fact you're living somewhere where you have no family support or real friends. Tell William if he needs to talk he can call me and Amy watch him. He's a kid who's vulnerable. There will be people willing to take advantage of him. When this comes out both adult and kids".
"Thank you for the advice Cassie I was thinking the other day that even dating for me will not be the same again. I've been reading there are men who date women to get close to their kids".
"It wasn't a stranger that abused your son Amy it was your father".
"I understand what you're saying I'll support William. Hearing my son admit he thought of killing himself or taking a life chilled me to the bones. Don't you worry I'll make sure my father is not only charge for what he did to my son but to you guys".
"Thank you".
We end the call and I really hoped that Amy was the strong support her son needs. I hear Alex shouting he was home and walk downstairs to greet him. We have a bath together later and he tells me about his day and I tell him about the phone call with Amy.
"She never mention a sister in the three years I dated her".
"Well if you read between the lines I get the feeling she probably would have tried to get you away from her. While making sure she looked exactly like said sister".
Alex shivers at my words, "Thank god I didn't meet that crack pot".
28/7/21
I arrived in work to chaos there are rumours the council will be letting staff go. I went out on my visits and return to see the local paper on my desk confirming the staff cuts. Management never hint this was coming there was redundancy needed.
I heard people were being interviewed for the job they were already in. I felt for my colleagues I knew that I wanted to get into private social work. I also knew we would be okay for money if I took voluntary redundancy.
Our managers at work never said to us this is what's happening we have to let staff go. I went out for lunch and treated myself to McDonald's. When I came back to the office after my afternoon visits. I was shock to hear a whole department in the council was going and some of my colleagues would be jobless instantly.
I was about to log out the system when I realised I got an email. I opened it to see confirmation of the thousands of staff cuts and the pay for people taking voluntary redundancy.
That evening Alex and I spoke about what was happening at work. I decided rather than move to another department that I didn't know. Like adult services or admin I would take redundancy. I had been doing days here and there in Jamie and Natalie's company that Alex and I had shares in to learn the business.
I told Alex while I would take time off to work on my CV and apply for jobs once I left my current one. It would also give me time to work with his siblings while I waited to hear on the job front.
To my surprise after telling my boss I would take redundancy he tells me. There's a good change Friday will be my last day working there. I didn't realise it would be that quick man they really need to get rid of us.
3/8/21
It's my last day in work surprisingly I'm okay with it I didn't go for a drink with my other colleagues who left as well. I came home early and took Becca for ice cream then explain things to her. That I don't work for the council anymore but we were okay for money and she can still stay in her school.
16/8/2021
We are in Dubai for our holiday just Alex, me, Becca, Lucy and the bodyguards. The hotel is amazing and the staff are really friendly and nice. I was so glad our room had air conditioning as it was boiling hot. We decided to go to the water park to cool down. Alex and I were watching Becca in the water when I realised this was our first big proper holiday as a family of four.
Arthur has a big milestone too he has a passport. After a while Alex went to join Becca on some of the rides and I stayed in the kids section with Arthur. I reapply sunscreen to him and fix his hat on his head.
When he falls asleep I ask Lucy to take him to our room and I join Alex and Becca. We had a lot of fun at the park.
Alex gives me a towel as I get out the water. We ask James to take a picture of the three of us which he did. We head upstairs to our room to change and decided to book a yoga class for the three of us. At the last chambers aquarium for the next day.
"This place is amazing all my friends are going to be so jealous of me", Becca was doing a little dance as she spoke.
"You're here to enjoy yourself you did well in school you earned this trip". She flushes at Alex's praise
My phone rings I look at the caller ID to see it's Amy. Before I could say anything Becca shouts, "Come on Cassie I'm starving I want to look at the different restaurants before we choose one. If you take too long I'm going to order room service".
I go to say hello to Amy but she hangs up. "Becca that was extremely rude that could have been an important call and the person heard your behaviour. You let me down and yourself we're having room service for lunch the restaurant can wait for another time".
She looks disappointed but I didn't care we order room service and I go in the other room and call Amy back.
"Hello", she answers.
"I'm sorry I didn't know you were away text me when you're back and I'll call you then".
"It's fine we can talk now", she tells me no go enjoy my time away with my family.
She hangs up on me and I join Becca and Alex at the dining table. Our food comes and we eat and since we would have room service for the rest of the day. Alex and I decided to give Lucy the rest of the day off as well as James. We weren't going to leave our room for the rest of the day. Becca was angry but she had to be punished.
"I look through my emails while Becca and Alex watch a movie only to find that I had an email off someone I didn't know. Thinking it could be about a job I applied for I opened it to see that it was photos of me and the family asking me if I was enjoying Dubai. I felt sick and call Alex over and showed him the photos.
The only people apart from our families who knew we were on holiday and where. Was the three people who worked for us and was currently staying with us in the hotel. Alex called Jamie and explain what happened. The bodyguards we have has been trained in all manner of fighting.
They would have been vetted to within an inch of their lives and knowing Natalie. She would have check them out before she recommended them to us.
Which left Lucy bubbly kind Lucy and I don't know why but something mum said came back to me. "You're the employer she needs to know her place she will take liberties.
Then I remembered Amy never told me how she knew about my son. Lucy would have been check out by the nanny college she worked for. Alex's siblings and I know James checked her out. I know because we ask him to with his contacts as a ex specialist police officer.
Alex's eyes go big, "It's the housekeeper she's the only other person that knew we were coming here think about it. We treat Lucy, Drew and James like family. They're not stupid they get to come to expensive places like this and we paid it's a nice set up for them.
We saw a sweet old woman who said all the right stuff at the interview and hired her. Thinking she was harmless sent Amy the picture we took of her and us".
I sent her the picture and she calls me. "That's my sister's mother what is she doing in your house and with you?"
"She is, was our housekeeper".
"Send me a picture of the other woman who works for you". I send a picture of Lucy messing around with Becca, "I don't know her but let me snoop around and see if she knows my sister. I know she once wanted to be a nanny to piss that man off".
Amy words sent alarms bell ringing I ask Drew and James to come to our room and tell them about the phone conversation. I also call Jamie and Natalie so they can listen in. We decided to change our locks in our house and fire Mrs Tate.
Lucy was tricky as she was here with us we had to be careful how we approached her. It was agreed she wouldn't be left alone with Miles again. Until we knew for certain she wasn't working against us.