Time: 23 Years Prior

Location: Sydney, Australia.

Father Dan picked up the phone, "Thanks for getting back to me so quickly . . . yes a possible new recruit, bright boy. He'll be a real asset in the future I believe. You can . . , that's great . . . Peter Margate . . . yes, that's right. He'll be under police escort when you meet him at Melbourne airport. I'll fax you the details and I'll arrange details for the handover from police custody this end . . . great, and thanks again, the family will be very relieved."

Father Dan hung up the phone, thought for a second or two, deciding who to ring first. He touched "s" on his private speed dial. As soon as it answered he said, "Dan here, it's in play."

He hung up and rang the police station, "Hello, is Tony there please . . . yes Father Dan here . . . Tony . . . Hi, it's all arranged. They'll meet you at Tullamarine airport. I'll fax you the details could you let me know the flight details as soon as you can so I can confirm everything at the Melbourne end . . . I know, but let me assure you, you are doing the right thing. The boy doesn't deserve to go to prison. He'll still be punished but in a more humane way, okay? . . . glad to hear it, be in touch soon . . . No, not yet . . . you can tell your side if you want . . . let me do that. I'll ring the Margates right now, Bye".

"Hi, Don, yes it's all arranged they leave in the morning I believe, at least Peter will be out of that cell by this time tomorrow. Yes I'm sure you and Vera can go see him tonight, ust ring Tony, he's a hard nut at times but he isn't totally without a heart."

This proved to be the case...on the surface at least, as indeed; Tony was more than helpful in arranging for Don and Vera to visit their son. They went down to the police station immediately and were ushered down to the holding cells where prisoners were held while awaiting a hearing.

Peter looked awful, he obviously wasn't coping well. His parents were worried, the sooner he was out of this place the better, for all concerned.

After brief hellos Peter said, "I don't want to become a priest anymore Dad. I want to be like you, a doctor and have a family, a family with Amelia! We talked about it, that's what she wants too."

"Look, Peter, you're both much too young to be contemplating marriage, and having a family. You're still kids yourselves. Anyway you're going to Melbourne and I believe Amelia is going to Paris to study at the Music Academy there. So in three years or so you both can see how you feel about each other then. You'll both have had plenty of time to think and to experience other things before deciding what to do with the rest of your lives," advised Don.

"Amelia told me she didn't want to go to Paris, she said she would be too homesick, she would miss everyone terribly especially Amanda, and me of course," Peter argued.

"Given what has happened I don't think that she will have much say in the matter. From what I gather her mother and Michelle have it all worked out. Amelia is going to live with her Aunty Margot in Paris and study piano there. It's a very exclusive school and she believes that it's too good an offer to refuse."

"Has Amelia been told yet? She isn't going to like it. I want to see her."

"Amelia is still in an induced coma Peter, anyway the police cannot and will not let you anywhere near her given the current circumstances," Don said.

"But Dad..I love her, I've got to tell her how I feel before I go."

Vera had been relatively quiet till now when she said, "You do know what an induced coma is don't you Peter?"

"Yes Mum, but she might still be able to hear me, might know that I care," begged Peter.

Before his Mum could answer his Dad interjected, "Peter, I told you the police will not let you see Amelia now, in fact I don't think it's a good idea anyway. She is still a very sick young lady."

"That's not my fault. I didn't do anything to hurt her!" pleaded Peter.

"That's not entirely true! She lost a lot of blood because of what you two got up to, combined with the Reyes Syndrome, her liver very nearly shut down altogether. If that had happened there would have been no coming back, we'd all have attended a funeral, and you, Peter, might be facing a culpable homicide charge!"

"But I didn't do anything wrong. We just wanted to be together. We planned it together. We're both somewhat responsible for what eventually happened but it was an accident, a totally unplanned accident! They must see that! Amelia will back me up when she wakes up."

"If she wakes up," Vera said, "She isn't out of the woods yet, is she Don, not with what happened to your son."

"What's Mum on about now Dad?" Peter was dumbfounded.

"We weren't going to tell you till you were a bit older but, I guess now is as good a time as any."

Carter and Amelia felt Peter's shock and sorrow as Don told him the story of his previous marriage and first son who was taken by the same disease that Amelia was suffering from. How he had been divorced, met and married Vera, how they had not been able to have children of their own and how Don had convinced her to adopt Peter.

"So now you know the true story and you must see that going to Melbourne is the only thing to do. The right thing to do, remember Peter, nothing in life is permanent. Your mother and I know that more than most, you can always go back, and pick up where you and Amelia left off. If that's what's meant to be. It will happen somehow, but not now! Now it's best for both yours and Amelia's well being to put the last few weeks behind you and go your separate ways for a time, until all this has blown over and been forgotten. The Cheval family are already beginning to forgive you I think, at least Monique is I'm sure, especially after what Amelia told her when she first woke up, and even Jean is coming around and I'm pretty sure he'll be okay once Amelia is back on her feet, Tony is going to take a little longer though I'm afraid."

"Tony is a racist, I don't think he'll ever approve of me, you should hear some of the things he says when no-one else is around," Peter suggested.

"If that's true then even more reason to get you out of here as soon as possible!" said Don.

He continued, "So it's finally settled, you get some sleep, you will go to Melbourne in the morning. It won't be so bad, Father Dan said you can continue with your music studies there and they have a studio at the seminary where you can practise and even record things. You'll be able to send some things to Amelia, maybe even write her a song, eh I'm sure she'd love that."

Peter had a genuine smile for the first time in weeks, his face hurt with the effort, "Alright Dad, I'll go. I'll miss the family life though."

"We'll tie up some loose ends here, rent the house and join you down there as soon as we've got the other kids schooling sorted out. I'll be starting at the clinic in Melbourne next month we will still be all together, in the one city at least," said Don.

"Are you sure you want to turn everyone's life upside down for me?" Peter asked incredulously.

"We'd do that and more for you and any one of you kids, you know that darling, anyway it'll be an adventure. You can show us all around Melbourne, I'm kinda looking forward to that," Vera said cheerily.

Chapter 21 - The Recruit.

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