SHADOW
He might, but I think you’ll continue to be surprised.
DOM
Aren’t you going to make me promise not to punch him?
SHADOW
Nah. If he deserves it, he deserves it. Besides, it’d make me the world’s biggest hypocrite.
I frowned down at the screen. What did he mean by that?
Before I got a chance to ask, I heard footstepsapproaching. I quickly pocketed my phone. As I did so, my gaze caught on the wall opposite. I hadn’t paid it much attention when I first came in, too overwhelmed by everything else to notice.
But I noticed it now.
Shock rolled through me as I got to my feet. Tears blurred my vision as I tried to understand what I was seeing.
The entire top half of the wall was covered in framed photographs. They’d been arranged in a careful fashion, fanning out from a central portrait. I recognised it, but had zero idea how Frank had got a copy.
It was my passing-out portrait.
My smile was small; a reflection of the satisfaction of having completed my training. But the truth lay in my eyes. They were dead. Cold.
I knew why. That day, our families had been invited to witness our passing-out ceremony and parade. I’d spent the weeks leading up to it praying that Ryan would show. If not for me, then for Max.
But only June had appeared. Even their dad hadn’t bothered.
I’d had no one there for me.
Not even Ryan.
My eyes darted over the other photos. My face shone out from most of them, gappy toothed and grinning when I was a kid. Birthdays. Christmases. Hot summer days. Winter snowstorms. Moments from a happy childhood I’d once known.
Mum was in them too. A tear slid free as I reached out to stroke her face. She was beaming, utter serenity and joy in her eyes as she grinned at whoever was behind the camera.
At Frank.
A throat cleared behind me. “I always did love that one.”
I swiped my hand across my eyes, not wanting to show any weakness in front of him. “Shame this is the first time I’m seeing it.”
“It’s one of the many things I need to apologise for,” Frank said heavily. “But that can wait. Have a look at the others. That one on the top right is another of my favourites. Best day of my life.”
My gaze flicked up automatically to see Mum in a hospital bed, smiling down at the red-faced newborn in her arms. Frank was beside her, also not looking at the camera. No, he was staring at the two of us with such love that I almost wondered if it was the same man.
Behind me, I heard Frank take a seat. I’d never admit it, but I was grudgingly grateful he was giving me space right now.
I let my gaze dance over the frames, studying each one closely before moving to the next. But then I saw one Frank definitely shouldn’t have had. One I didn’t even remember being taken.
My breath caught in my throat. I knew when it was from. The bonfire the night we finished our exams. Ryan was tucked under my arm, grinning widely. Meanwhile, I was smiling down at him. As with the hospital picture, there was no mistaking the emotion there. It was plastered all over my face.
Love.
I couldn’t tear my eyes off it. “How did you get this picture?”
“From Ryan,” Frank said. “A friend on Facebook sent him a load from sixth form a while back. He thought I might like it. There’s a few more there of the two of you.”