Chances and Choices
It was Ken really, talking about Peter in jail, of Simon growing up without a dad and carrying the shame of his father being a convicted murderer. Perhaps not the time nor the place, but it got the job done. Until then Carla hadn’t summoned the courage – or disloyalty – to turn her brother in. She had not succeeded in convincing him to do it himself. He wanted his chances.
Let him have his day, Rob had asked, let him marry Tracy, let the horses and carriage not go to waste. Let him have his whole life in fact. He would make better use of freedom than Peter would. Peter would drink his life away in six months, Rob predicted. What would Carla be left with then? If he stayed out of prison, Rob promised her he’d have a good and long life and produce nieces and nephews to make up for the baby she lost. If only she would keep quiet about him killing Tina, it would work out best for (almost) everybody.
Carla knew just forgetting was impossible. So too was tapping out the number for the police, until she saw Ken and heard his words. Still, she gave Rob a fighting chance. She warned him the police were on their way. He could decide whether to stay or run. He chose the latter.
Twisting realism
There was time to think and talk before the ceremony because of a little twisting of realism in the story. Tracy’s entry to the wedding hall was delayed because Amy forgot her flowers in the carriage. She realized it just after the horses had left.
It’s a bit unbelievable that the horses would leave immediately after dropping Tracy off, with nobody to see her in her princess coach and matched greys. But the need to retrieve the forgotten bouquet gave time for Carla to make her decision, call the police and break the news to Rob.
It also gave us the opportunity to see a stocking-footed Michelle running full-tilt across a field. And that was worth a great deal.
- Next week, more fall-out from this day.
