The Tenth Night

Greg Nottels

Andrew Lawson. Even the name made Greg clench his fist in anger. It was scum like him that made everything that he did with the other six people all that better. He knew that had Samantha's mother still been alive, his life would have been completely different and he would have never attempted to commit the acts that have been a part of his life for ten years now. They would have been happy and in love, maybe with another child to extend their family. But instead he hadn't got the life he wanted, and those he blamed were getting what they deserved.

As he drove home from the meeting, he was thinking about how to send Samantha away for the next few weeks. It would be suspicious if he suddenly phoned a relative and asked if they wanted to spend some time with her. No, he had to be subtle about this. All other years she had provided herself with her own protection: summer camp, staying with her grandparents, on holiday with her friend and her parents (whom Greg had checked over several times before he had even contemplated agreeing), and even off on a hike with the group one of her teachers had created in order to expose more youngsters to the outdoors. He couldn't let her be in area for this year, not with it being the tenth year. It was sure to be one never to forget.

He pulled up by the motel and cut the engine. If only the concert had been on that day then maybe he would have thought about it before answering. There was no way he would have been comfortable or willing for her to go to the concert but had it fallen on the night that he was very much preoccupied, he would have had to swallow his protectiveness for her and allowed her to go in order to make sure she was out of harm's way for the entire time. Samantha would have liked that, he knew.

As he exited his car and entered his home that was round the back of the motel, he thought back to his name. Andrew Lawson. Scum that should never be allowed to walk the earth. How someone could so willingly abuse their child was beyond him, and then how said person could take that child to the doctor and have them lie about it was worse. Corrupting children was something he could not condone at all, no matter the circumstances.

His thoughts went back to the meeting and as he closed the door behind him, he thought that the final list this year was one that appeared to be more bold than ever before. They weren't just people they had observed and disapproved of; no, there were people who either one or more of them had connections with. He had concerns about some of the names but knew that he had no place to say anything about them, after all he didn't get either of the names so therefore it didn't bother him that much. After the night and the following morning, nothing of these preparation days would matter.

Just as he was about to turn the telly on, a step creaked behind him and he turned to find Samantha coming down the stairs. "What are you doing up so late?" he asked, removing his shoes.

"Couldn't sleep but you weren't in bed," she mumbled.

Sitting down on the sofa and pulling the quilt down from the top, he patted the sofa and his daughter came and sat next to his, snuggling against his side. "I'm here now." He rubbed her arm and placed the quilt over both of them. Only the lamp next to them was turned on and he was thankful he hadn't managed to turn the T.V on now that she was with him. His planning for tonight didn't matter any more either.

His daughter wanted him and he was never going to deny her that.