My Mum's Secret

I was on my third paper and I came across a story, which happened two months before my eighth birthday. I finished reading all the papers. I then return to the third paper. I decided what I had read was mum's secret.

I now had to discover the truth. The only one who knew for sure was John Holden. I had to get him to tell me. I had to plan. One night I was watching a film with torture in it my problem now solved. I went out and bought cables, switches, brackets, screws, and clamps.

I called off at my stepfather's house and I let myself in. He was out; straight up to the attic, I was making sure all the old chairs were still there. I checked if the power sockets were still working. I then left the house. I purchased eight petrol cans and filled them up as dad had done.

"Kate, would you mind if I went on a week-long fishing trip? I have not been fishing for months on my own," I said.

"Be back as soon as you can," Kate said.

I booked the week off work, packed everything I needed for the week. I booked the lodge in the middle of nowhere for a week next to a trout lake. The owner had told me where the keys were under the stone to the right of the door. I give a map to Kate and all the details of the lodge to my wife in the case.

I finished work on Friday with a two-hour drive to the lodge. I went to the fish market and bought fourteen trout and put them in the lodge freezer. I then returned to my stepfather's house.

I had nine days to get the information out of John Holden. I went to my stepfather's house and started talking to my stepfather. I hit him, knocking him out cold. I then carried him up to the attic and tied him up. I fastened one of the chairs to the floor.

I lifted Holden off the floor and secured him to the chair he was still out cold. I ran out all the equipment and fixed it to John Holden. I left the attic and placed the full petrol cans one in each room. I returned to the attic and he had come around by then.

"James, why have you tied me up and what are you doing to me?" Holden said.

"In a little while you will discover for yourself," I said.

I finished setting up the tools and he watched me and kept on asking what I was doing. Finally, ready. I sat in a chair I placed in front of him and gave the switch a quick flick he let out a scream.

"I have only one question to ask you?" I said.

"What was my mum's secret that you knew?" I said.

"I must warn you; I know the answer but the truth I want from you," I said.

"James, you do not have to torture me, ask me I will tell you the truth." Holden said.

"Good my question is this?" I said.

"What was the secret you have on my mother? Remember I know the truth!" I said.

"James, we had no secrets," Holden said.

"I do not believe you," I said.

"I will throw the switch every time you do not tell me the truth," I said.

"James, we had no secrets," Holden said.

A scream lets out.

"The same question," I said.

"James, we had no secrets," Holden said.

A scream lets out.

"I will put a gag in your mouth when you are willing to tell me the truth and nod your head?" I said.

"I will let you recover then hit the switch until you nod," I said.

"The same question," I said.

"James, we had no secrets," Holden said.

A scream lets out.

I repeated for five days and nights. Then John Holden finally nodded.

"So, are you ready to tell me everything now?" I said.

"Yes, I will, please give me a drink," Holden said.

I gave him a drink of cold water and then said to him "start."

"I do believe you want to know everything," Holden said.

"Every single piece of detail, now start," I said.

Your mother and I worked together but the first time I saw your mother, I fell in love with her there and then. I wanted her for myself. I discovered your mother was married.

Your mother had to go out of the office on a job. The job was well on the other side of the town.

She was driving a BMW.

She knocked down a woman and a young kid. Both died under the car your mother was driving. One or two people saw the accident. All they were able to say was a black or blue BMW that killed them. The time of the accident was when your mother was returning to the office. The police appealed for the hit and run driver to come forward but nobody did.

I went back to work and examined the front of the BMW. The front of the car was damaged with a large dent. I moved the car so someone else would hit the front of the car. The following day someone else hit the car. That is the secret.

I blackmailed your mother into having sex with me. Then, I forced her to leave your father and divorce him, bringing you with her.

When the divorce was through, I married your mother. You were more than eight and a half by then. I kept a close eye on your mother. In the years, we were together. I was expecting her to leave me and go back to your father. I made her do what I said every day.

I bought you gifts all the time hoping your mother would come closer to me. Your mother seemed distant. I had her and loved her. James, that is the secret your mother had she took to the grave. Please release me.

I then stared at my stepfather I had hated inside me. I knew he had told me the truth about the woman and kid. My mother tormented herself for years about the secret she kept for all those years.

I looked at him.

"My dad never knew mum's secret. He would have supported mum whatever she had done!" I said.

"You killed the love my mother and father had for each other and you denied me a happy family life with my mother and father," I said.

"I am now going to tell you what I am going to do. Set fire to this house with you in it. I hope that there is a hell you will like there," I said.

"James, please do not do it. I cannot bring your mother and father back, please, let me go," Holden begged.

"I never knew what hate and anger were. I found out soon after reading mum is to my dad after mum's funeral," I said.

"You should know now, mum hated you and had no feelings for you," I said.

My mother only loved my father," I said.

Sex to her with you meant nothing she hated the ground you stood on," I said.

"Mum did not dare to leave you for my sake," I said.

"My dad went to the grave with a broken heart. I hope he knows what I am about to do," I said.

"James, please do not do it, please," Holden begged me.

"Watch me," I said.

I picked up all the equipment, loaded the car then moved it down the road a few hundred yards. I returned to the house and emptied the eight petrol cans all over his home. I went to the attic.

"Bye blackmailer home breaker," I said.

I left the house throwing a match into the house. I walked away to my car. Called off at the tip and dumped all the equipment. I then drove to the fishing lodge.

The police turned up at my home looking for me. My wife had told the police that I was on a fishing trip. The police turned up at the lodge I was walking back from the lake with three trout. They asked for my name.

"Sir, can we go inside the lodge?" The officer said.

"Sir, would you please answer my questions?" The officer said.

"Yes, officer sure will? I said.

"How long have you been here Sir?" The officer said.

"Since Friday night I have arrived at about seven thirty why?" I said.

"Have you been here alone Sir?" The officer said.

"Yes, I am on a short fishing trip and my wife knows where I am," I said.

"We know that Sir. The officer said.

Have you had a good time fishing this week?" The officer said.

"Check out the freezer, you can see what I have caught," I said.

The officer went and looked in the freezer and saw the trout I had bought.

"Officer, what brings you out here?" I said.

"Sir, we will tell you something that will upset you," The officer said.

"We have come from your house," The officer said.

"What is up, is it my wife Kate!" I said.

"No, it is not your wife, but she is upset," The officer said.

"Why is she upset?" I said.

"Sir there is no other way of saying what I will say your stepfather has killed himself," The officer said.

I started rushing around the lodge in a panic, packing my things and throwing them in my car on purpose. "I want to get home to my wife; can I leave right away," I said.

"Yes, Sir, you can leave," The officer said.

All of us went outside. I then return the door key under the stone. I jumped into my car driving away on my way home. At the time, I did not know the officers were checking the cabin on my behalf because I left in a panic.

The officers went back inside the lodge. They were getting all my trout from the freezer and placed them in the police car. I was a good twenty minutes in front of the police. I drove as fast as I could.

When I arrived home, Kate was crying her eyes out when the officers turned up. They saw both of us holding each other.

"Yes, officer, how can I help," I said.

"Sir, you left the lodge in a panic, you forgot your fish here they are," The officer said.

"Thank you officer I left in such a panic all I was thinking about was my wife," I said.

"We understand Sir," The officer said.

I turned to the officer. "Officer, before you leave us, when can I pick up my stepfather things," I said.

"Sorry Sir I forgot to tell you; your stepfather burnt his house down with him inside," The officer said.

My bottom jaw dropped and I slumped back in pretence. The officers were about to leave.... "Then can I go to the house?" I said.

"Yes, Sir you can," The officer said.

They found some of his remains. I dropped them in the rubbish bin, a fitting place for him. I had to wait for John Holden's estate to close; he had everything to me in his will. I did not want any part of his blood money. I received a cheque in the thousands I donated every penny to Cancer Research in my mother's name.

A month later Kate and I were visiting my mother and father's grave. I was reading the headstone. One-piece read "Holden". That name Holden I now detested. I turned to Kate. "I will have the headstone replaced as soon as I can," I said.

Kate did not say a word because she knew the reason why. I discovered the procedure to have the headstone replaced, and a new one fitted. I ordered a new stone through the stonemason.

At that exact moment, I was so glad that my mother did not have my second name changed. I was still Curtis. I arranged with a stonemason to have a new stone fitted. Kate and I were there when the old stones were removed, they were put down on the cemetery road. I walked over to the lorry and picked up a seven-pound hammer smashing the stone to bits.

The new stone read Rose Curtis's wife of Robert Curtis. I turned to face Kate. "I never want to hear the name of Holden until I am good and ready," I said. Kate did not say a word she understood why.

Kate and I had two boys and a girl. We had agreed some years before both of us would tell them about the love my parents had for each other.

It was now eighteen years later and our youngest boy's birthday. I wanted to give them the chance to read, watch the tapes, and look at the photographs. Kate and I sat close together at the time. I told them everything I knew from being born up to and from my eighth birthday. It was the only time I was to mention the name of Holden to my children.

"I then asked all of them; please will you never repeat the name Holden ever again!" I said.

"I told them all what I could remember that my father told me," I said.

"Inside the box in front of the three of you is full of love that my parents had for each other," I said.

I turned to Kate and held her. I kissed her right in front of my kids. My three kids had seen me kiss Kate many times but never like that one.

Sixteen years had passed and my wife Kate was dying in hospital; she had the dreaded big "C." She had only minutes to live. "James, please kiss me I love you so much," Kate said.

I held Kate close and kissed her, as dad kissed mum all those years before, Kate's eyes were bright. She looked at me struggling, for a smile.

"James looks after our girl and boys," Kate said.

"I promise as long as I live my love," I said.

"Kate, you know I love you with all my heart and soul," I said.

I held Kate in my arms for the last time. During our last embrace, my Kate passed away leaving the four of us from this world forever. I looked at Kate and burst into tears.

I knew exactly how my father felt when he lost my mother all years before.

I wish dad had known mum's secret.

Thanks for taking the time to read it.

Please give constructive comments not insults.