Текст книги "Someone Else's Life"

Автор книги: Katie Dale

Соавторы: Katie Dale,Katie Dale
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Текущая страница: 10 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

227

“Do you need ride, honey?” Megan offers. “I need

to go pick up Ben from my mom’s anyway.”

“Thanks.” smile. “That would be—”

“No.” Jack looks up. “No, you can’t go—not you too.”

His gaze locks on mine. “You should stay here.”

hesitate. don’t want to leave, not now I’ve found

him—but part of me wants to run as far and as fast as

can.

“Jack—” Megan begins.

“I’m not sure that’s

good idea,” say, my cheeks

burning. “You and Holly need some time alone, you need

to talk …”

“It’s just to

and B, Jack—she’ll still be in town,”

Megan reasons.

“No,” Jack says, his voice firm. “I’ve gone eighteen

years without knowing my daughter.” He swallows hard.

“Don’t you think that’s long enough?”

Megan looks at him, then at me, then closes her

mouth and looks away.

My heart thumps loudly in the stillness.

“Rosie,” he says gently, his green eyes so wide, so

nervous, so vulnerable. “Will you stay?”

228

Holly

“That is so cool!” Melissa exclaims, squealing and

hugging

her

pillow,

startling

Dumbledore

who

immediately leaps off the bed and scurries downstairs.

scowl at her. “Weren’t you listening Exactly which

part of my life falling to pieces is cool?”

She rolls her eyes. “Don’t be so melodramatic—this

is unreal! Holly don’t you get it? You have mom!”

Despite myself, my heart flutters. My mom

“Holly!” Melissa squeals, grabbing my hands and

squeezing them. “You probably have whole other family

in England—land of Shakespeare and castles and kings

and—”

“I don’t want another family—I want my family!”

snap, pulling my hands away and hugging my knees. “I

want my dad back.”

“Holls.” Melissa places her hand on my knee. “He’s

always gonna be your dad—like, duh you couldn’t even

get rid of him at the prom, remember? How he wouldn’t

go home? How he offered to chaperone? To DJ?”

smile tugs at my lips.

“He’s not going anywhere believe me—look how

many times he’s called you just tonight.” glance guiltily at

my muted cell phone. “But you’re telling me you don’t

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wanna meet your mom? Your actual mother? All these

years you thought she was dead, fantasized about what

she was like, how things might’ve been, and now …” She

squeezes my knees, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“She’s alive Holly, your mom’s alive!”

“She’s always been alive—don’t you get it? Melissa,

Dad lied—he lied to me, all this time. He told me she’d died.”

“Well, yeah!” Melissa rolls her eyes. “Well, he would,

wouldn’t he? That bitch on the phone is obviously waste

of space—who wouldn’t rather have

mom who’s dead

than one who tells her daughter to get lost when she turns

up at her door? What cow.”

twist my finger tightly in my hair. hadn’t thought

of it like that.

“Holls, he was just trying to spare your feelings.

Imagine if you’d gone looking for her like that Rosie girl

did and she slammed the door in your face? How crushed

would you be?”

bite my lip, imagining it—the hope, the

excitement, the earth-shattering rejection. It would be

devastating. It must’ve been devastating.

frown,

reluctant to feel sorry for Rosie.

“Well, he still shouldn’t have lied.”

“Well, duh,” Melissa says softly. “But then, he’s

guy, what do you expect? Emotional issues aren’t exactly

their strength.”

“You’re not kidding.” smile despite myself. “You

should’ve seen how he flipped when said was going to

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stay with Josh at Harvard. ‘You’re eighteen– you’re too young to get married!’ ”

Melissa’s jaw drops and she stares at me. “Shut up!

You’re engaged?”

Before can react, Melissa screams and leaps on top

of me, strangling me in bear hug.

“Oh, my God! Oh, my Goooooodddd!” She releases me

momentarily. “When? How? Wait!” She looks at me

urgently. “Promise me I’ll be your maid of honor! Please, Holly! I’ve never been maid of honor, and—”

“All right, already—you can be my maid of honor!”

laugh, and she lunges on top of me again, her squeals, if

possible, louder than ever.

“Oh, my God! Oh, my God! This is awesome! This is

the best day of my life! My best friend is gonna be my

sister-in-law, and I’m finally going to be maid of honor!”

She squeezes me hard. “And you! What the heck is your

problem? You’re finally gonna meet your mom—your real,

cool English mom—and you’re getting married Your mom can come to the wedding! Hey—you can probably get

married in castle, lucky thing!”

“Whoa, there!” laugh. “One step at time!”

“I’ve gotta call Josh—I can’t believe he didn’t tell

me!” Melissa grabs her cell, punches in the number, puts it

on speaker, then squeals loudly as he answers.

“I can’t believe you’re getting married!” she shrieks, flying at me in another hug as Josh laughs, all my worries

fizzling away as excitement bubbles up inside me.

We’re getting married!

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Melissa squeezes me tight, her grin splitting her

face as this time squeal too. She’s right, am lucky. have

my friends, my family—Dad, and Megan and Ben; have

Josh and the promise of our new life together, our own

family

smile, hugging my secret. And somewhere, far

across the Atlantic, have mom. My heart cartwheels at

the thought. My real mom. Not some woman who gave

birth to me and then couldn’t be bothered to stick around.

It was an accident—we were separated by accident. She

never meant to leave me at all.

And now can’t wait to meet her.

232

Rosie

“What you doing?”

look up to see Ben watching me in the bathroom

mirror as rub the two cotton buds against the inside of

my cheek. turn and smile.

“I’m doing test,” tell him. “For DNA.”

“Oh.” He screws up his nose. “Like ABC?”

laugh. “Not really.” Though actually, it’s almost as

easy. can’t believe all it takes is two cotton buds rubbed

inside each of our cheeks, sealed in two labeled paper

envelopes, posted off to the lab with

check and

downloaded form—and hey presto: 99.9 percent accurate

DNA results in less than fortnight. It’s scarily simple.

Ben watches intently as seal my cotton buds into

the envelope with my name on, and smile.

“You want go?” pull fresh bud out of the box,

and he eyes me uncertainly for moment before opening

his mouth, displaying rows of tiny pearly white teeth.

Ever so gently, rub the cotton tip against his cheek

and he giggles. “That tickles!”

“You’re not ticklish, are you?” gasp, tickling under

his armpit. He collapses to the floor, squirming gleefully,

his laughter filling the room.

233

“What’s going on in here, then?” Jack grins,

appearing round the doorframe with Megan.

“Daddy!” Ben cries, leaping into his arms.

“Hello, trouble.” Jack grins, rubbing his nose against

Ben’s. “How’s my monkey?”

“I’m not monkey!” Ben protests. “I’m Ben!”

“Of course you are.” Jack smiles, kissing his

forehead. “And do you know who this is?” He points at me.

Ben shakes his head furiously, his hair flying in his

eyes.

“This is Rosie,” Jack tells him, brushing his fringe

back and looking at me. “She’s your big sister.”

Ben stares at me, eyes wide, and my breath catches.

“Might be your sister,” Megan amends quickly.

“Let’s wait till it’s official, huh?” She looks at Jack sternly.

“That’s the whole point.”

“Of course, of course.” Jack nods. “You done with

yours?” He nods at the envelope by the sink.

“Yep,” say, handing it over. “All done and dusted.”

“Great,” Jack says. “I’ll go drop them in the mail.”

“Now?” Megan says.

“The sooner the better, think.” Jack smiles at me

wearily. “Then we’ll all know where we stand.” He passes

Ben to Megan and jogs downstairs.

Megan looks at me awkwardly.

“I’m sorry if seem …” She falters. “I don’t mean to

be skeptical, just with children it’s better if things are

definite, before …”

234

“I understand,” tell her, hugging my arms. “Have

you heard from Holly?”

“No,” Megan sighs. “She’s still not answering her cell

phone, but her friend’s mom called—she’s staying with

them. So at least we know she’s safe.”

“Good. That’s relief.”

“Yes.” Megan nods. “It is. Anyway, I’d better get this

one to bed.” She ruffles Ben’s hair. “It’s been long day.”

nod. “I think I’ll get an early night too.”

“Okay, well, you know where everything is.” Megan

smiles. “Good night.”

“Night.”

“Night, Rosie.”

look up, my heart jumping at my name on Ben’s

lips as he waves to me over Megan’s shoulder. smile and

wave back until they disappear through the doorway.

sigh, flooded with conflicting emotions, then push

open the door to the spare room and collapse into Andy’s

waiting arms.

“Are you okay?” he whispers, stroking my hair.

nod, my cheek pressed tight against his chest, my

eyes glued once more to the family photo in its broken

frame—the warmth

feel gazing at my dad, at my

gorgeous little brother, fading as

look at Holly, the

terrible casualty of this reunion. close my eyes, feeling

sick to my stomach.

“You did really well down there, you know?” Andy

says. “That took lot of balls.”

smile despite myself.

235

“I know it wasn’t easy—especially after Kitty …” He

squeezes me tight. “But you did it. You found your dad and

you told him. I’m proud of you.” He kisses my head, his

words tickling my ear. “You did what you came to do.”

open my eyes.

“That’s just it,” whisper, feeling sicker than ever.

“Now what?”

236

Holly

Something bats at my nose and my eyes fly open.

white paw prods my cheek and

long trail of drool

dangles precariously over my face.

“Dumbledore! Dumbledore—get off!” hiss, sitting

bolt upright and swiping the cat away. He jumps off the

bed, nose in the air, his little bell jangling petulantly as he trots off to find his next victim.

Ugh! wipe my cheek. Gross! Why does he always

pick on me? glance at the bedside clock. Four– thirty a.m.?

groan and flop back on my pillow, wide awake now.

stare at the window, the faint moonlight glowing

through the thin curtains, the dark branches dancing back

and forth with the breeze.

Four-thirty-two a.m.

look across at Melissa splayed on her bed, snoring

loudly, oblivious. Typical. roll over, burying my head in

my pillow, restless and wakeful. This is so unlike me!

Normally sleep like log, straight through my alarm and

into next Tuesday, given half chance. Not like Dad, who’s

always up at the crack of dawn.

Dad

My heart twists suddenly, remembering him

standing there, so hurt, so dejected. It wasn’t fair. He

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didn’t know—he didn’t know he wasn’t my dad all these

years

This has all been an incredible shock—for both of

us. And how do react when find out? My words ring

painfully in my ears.

You’re not my father!

fumble for my cell phone. Fifteen missed calls. My

heart sinks as the first message begins:

“Holly– Holly, sweetheart, please come home. love

you so much, just please come home—”

click it off, scramble into my jeans and run

downstairs, the cold air hitting me like slap in the face—

my wake-up call—as suddenly I’m running down the

street, the wind in my hair, the lampposts smiling down at

me.

I’m coming, Dad, I’m coming

I’m coming home

238

Rosie

open my eyes and stare miserably at the ceiling.

It’s no good. I’ve been lying here, wide awake, for ages, the

events of the past twenty-four hours swirling and

spinning round my head, refusing to let me sleep. What

they said—what said—what didn’t say—what should

have said

whether should’ve said anything

sigh and gently slide out of bed, careful not to

wake Andy snoring softly beside me. shiver as my feet hit

the floor, and pad out onto the landing.

flick the bathroom light on and stare at myself in

the mirror.

So this is what they see. This is the girl who waltzed

in and turned their world upside down. Who took

everything they knew and threw it out the window. Who’s

imposed herself on their lives—their family. sigh heavily,

covering my face with my hands.

It’s up to them now It’s all up to them. I’ve done my

bit. The snow globe is well and truly shaken up. Who

knows how it will settle this time

if it ever will.

close my eyes and dip my head to the tap, drinking

the cold water as it flows over my lips, cool and soothing

and numbing.

“Holly?”

239

jump at the voice, bashing my lip on the tap and

spilling water down my front.

“Sorry!” Jack says, backing out of the bathroom.

“Sorry, Rosie—I didn’t mean to scare you, thought you

were—Sorry.”

“What time is it?” yawn, taking in his jeans and

woolly sweater. It’s still pitch black and freezing.

“Four-thirty-three,” he says. “Couldn’t sleep?”

shake my head. “My mind won’t keep still.”

He nods. “Yes, there’s—well, there’s

lot to think

about.”

nod. “You?”

He shakes his head. “I’ve been looking up

Huntington’s online, trying to get my head around it all.”

He rubs his eyes. “But there’s only so much you can take

in.”

Don’t know it. “If you want to talk, or have any

questions …”

“Thank you.” He nods. “But right now just need

some air—I’m heading down to the fish market. No rest

for the wicked.” He smiles. “Good night.”

“Good morning.” smile, heading into my bedroom.

“Actually, Rosie …” He follows me. “Rosie, would

you—”

Andy grunts in his sleep and rolls over.

“Oh!” Jack starts, backing away into the hallway.

“Oh, God, I’m sorry—”

“It’s okay.”

pull the door closed, following him.

“Jack?”

240

“Sorry, I—I didn’t know—I was just going to say—

to ask, really—since we’re both up …” He clears his throat.

“I’m heading down to the market now—as said—and

just wondered …” He frowns suddenly. “Sorry. Forget it,

go back to bed.”

“I’d love to come.” smile.

“You would?”

nod. “Just give me five minutes to throw some

clothes on and I’ll see you downstairs.”

He stares at me, surprised. “Right. Great!” He turns

to leave but doesn’t move.

“So, you and Andy …,” he begins. “The two of you,

you’re

close?” He glances at me.

smile. “Yeah, we’re

close.”

He nods, takes deep breath. “Right. Lots to learn.”

He smiles shyly. “I’ll see you downstairs?”

“Five minutes,” confirm.

“Right.”

smile as he disappears down the stairs. He’s right,

there is lot to learn. Father and daughter and we don’t

know the first thing about each other. Well, there’s no

time like the present, even if it is the middle of the night—

and freezing!

241

Holly

stitch stabs at my side as

finally round the

corner onto our street. race up the steps at the back of

the house, scrabble under the mat for the spare key and

rush into the kitchen.

“Dad?”

fumble for the light switch and knock

something off the counter. “Dad?” race upstairs. “Dad?”

“Holly?” Megan opens her bedroom door. “Jeez, you

scared the life out of me. Are you okay?”

“Where’s Dad?” ask urgently, looking past her at

the empty bed.

“He’s gone to the fish market, sweetie,” Megan says.

“It’s Monday.”

The fish market My heart sinks.

should’ve

remembered.

“Are you all right?” she asks anxiously.

“Yes,”

say, my breath in starts. “Yes, I’m fine,

just—I just really wanted to see him—to tell him …”

“Oh, sweetheart, he knows.” Megan pulls me into

tight hug. “He’ll be so glad to see you.” She kisses my hair.

“I’m so glad to see you.”

“Holly?” Ben’s door opens and he rubs his eyes

sleepily.

242

“Hey, Benji-bear!”

smile, hugging him close,

breathing in his sweet little-boy smell. “How’s my favorite

cuddle monster?”

“Good!” he cries, giving me

sloppy kiss and

clamping his pudgy arms around my neck.

“We’re just glad you’re home,” Megan says, stroking

my hair tenderly, and crumble, melting in their warmth.

Home

“Yeah.” smile, drying my tears against Ben’s soft

pajamas as he snuggles up to me, so warm, so familiar.

“Me too.”

“Do any of you know where Rosie is?”

look up, surprised. Rosie’s boyfriend is standing in

the doorway of the spare room. In pajamas.

“I just woke up,” he says. “She’s gone.”

Megan glances at him, then looks at me. She

hesitates.

My stomach hardens. “He’s with Rosie?”

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Rosie

It’s still pitch black when we reach the fish market,

but the place is already bustling. Fishermen unload their

glistening wares while customers jostle and crowd round

the counters, scouring the writhing mass for the biggest

and best fish from the morning’s catch. huddle deeper

into the padded jacket Jack’s lent me, burrowing my face

away from the biting cold—and the stench!

“Fragrant, huh?” Jack returns proudly with his fish

gleaming like treasure in his box. He lifts it up and inhales

deeply. “Poo-ee!

love the smell of fresh fish in the

morning!” He grins at me, his cheeks pink from the cold,

his eyes sparkling. “Brr! We’re lucky it’s not snowing.”

stare at him. “Are you serious? You come down

here in the snow? In the middle of the night?”

Jack laughs. “It’s not night—it’s morning! See?” He

nods toward the churning mass of black sea slapping at

the shingle, and the horizon beyond. The sun is just

creeping up over the edge, and the beginnings of color are

returning to the world. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

shiver in his jacket and he laughs.

“Come on,” he says, “let’s dump these and grab hot

drink to warm up. There’s greasy spoon over there that

does mean hot chocolate.”

244

“With marshmallows?” mumble through the coat,

my nose an icicle.

“Is there any other kind?” He grins, leading the way.

245

Holly

“She’s still here?” look at Megan accusingly as she

pours tea into three mugs. “She stayed the night? Here?

“I’m gonna—I’m just gonna go get …” Rosie’s

boyfriend gestures to the door. “I’m just gonna go.” He

disappears back upstairs.

“It was late, sweetie.” Megan hands me

mug and

leads me into the living room. “She had nowhere else to

go.”

“How about back to England?” mutter, taking sip

of tea. It burns my tongue.

Megan sinks onto the sofa and sighs. “I can’t

imagine what you’re feeling right now. It’s an awful shock,

but

Rosie might be his daughter, sweetie.”

“I’m his daughter!”

protest, my eyes stinging.

“Aren’t enough?” stare at her, daring her to answer.

“Maybe should just go away and leave them to it.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Holly, you mean the world to

your dad. You should have seen him last night—he was

beside himself with worry.”

“Yeah, so worried he replaced me, huh?”

“Holly!”

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it? He’s got

new daughter

now.” hug my knees. “His real one.”

246

“That’s not true! Holly, don’t even think it. Your dad

loves you so much—”

“Yeah, but he’s not my dad, is he?”

“He’ll always be your dad!”

“It’s not the same, though—it’s not biological. He’s

her dad now.”

“Holly, we don’t even know that—not for sure! They

did test last night—let’s wait for the results before—”

“What’s the point?” sigh. “He knows she’s his—he

looks at her and he sees her mother—Katharine—doesn’t

he? Look at me! I’m

redhead—I stand out like

sore

thumb! No wonder she didn’t want me—she knew was

mistake, an impostor …”

“Holly, that’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” bite my lip hard, twisting my finger tightly

in my hair—my horrible ugly, traitorous red hair.

“Look at me,” Megan says suddenly. “Look at me,

Holly. I’m not your biological mother—I never was and

never will be.” She squeezes my hand. “But do you think

that love you any less? That any of this matters to me? To

Ben?”

look at him, carefully building his tower of wooden

blocks—painstakingly adding one and then another, only

for them all to come crashing down. Like my life. My heart

aches. Dad’s not the only one could lose …

“That’s not the same,” sigh. “Ben doesn’t know the

difference.”

“Exactly. Exactly, Holly—that’s the point!”

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“It’s not! It’s different!” insist. “It’s different when

it’s your child, part of you …” trail off, stabbing pain in

my chest.

“Okay,” Megan says carefully, leaning closer and

looking me in the eye. “Okay, then. Do you honestly think

love you any less than love Ben?”

look at her, then look at Ben, hugging my knees

hard. “You must—he’s yours you gave birth to him—”

Megan shakes her head. “Oh, sweetie, it’s just not

that simple. Giving birth doesn’t make you

mom,” she

says. “Look at this Katharine woman. She abandoned her

baby—she’s nobody’s mother. But your dad—your dad

would move heaven and earth for you, and not because he

thought you shared his genes, but because he loves you so

much It’s that love that counts—that bond. You’re team.

You’ll get through this.”

stare into my tea, biting my lip.

“And what about Rosie?” whisper. “How does she

fit into all this?”

Megan sighs. “That’s just something we’re gonna

have to figure out.”

248

Rosie

We slide into

booth by the window and clamp

my hands around my steaming hot chocolate, the feeling

slowly returning to my fingers, the fishy aroma lingering

persistently around us.

“Isn’t it spectacular?” Jack sighs, gazing out the

window. “My favorite time of day.”

must admit the scarlet sunrise is beautiful—a lot

more so now I’m sitting indoors feeling warm

marshmallows melting in my mouth.

“If only it rose later,” muse.

Jack grins. “Sorry about that. I’m used to getting up

early. My dad ran chippie, so after my

levels worked

there for bit while tried to figure out what to do with

my life. He always sent me down to the market at the

crack of dawn to get the best fish, but didn’t mind. kind

of loved it. fell in love with the sunrise. The peace. The

promise of brand-new day.” He stares out at the golden

light spreading over the horizon. “That’s how

met

Katharine, actually.”

stare at him. “At fish market?”

“No!” he laughs,

deep warm sound. “No, Kathy

wouldn’t be caught dead at fish market. No, she’d gone

down to see the sea, she said. She was standing there,

249

right on the beach, shivering in her miniskirt and fluffy

white jacket.” He pauses. “I’ll always remember that

jacket …”

watch him closely.

“Sorry.” He clears his throat. “I’m rambling. It’s been

so long since I’ve spoken of her …” He shakes his head.

“Anyway, how’d you like your hot chocolate?”

“Please,” whisper. “Tell me.”

Jack looks at me for moment, his eyes uncertain.

Then he takes deep breath.

“She was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen.” He

sighs, looking out the window, into the past. “Her hair was

tangled from the wind, her mascara streaked across her

cheeks, and she’d lost her shoes somehow—she was

standing there barefoot on the pebbles, with goose bumps

all down her legs—she was freezing—but she wouldn’t

leave. offered to call her taxi, but she refused, said she

wanted to see the sun come up, that she wouldn’t leave

until she had.”

“She’d been there all night?”

“That’s what she said. At least, she’d been out all

night. doubt she’d got all dressed up to go to the beach.”

Jack blows on his hot chocolate, clasps the mug tightly.

“Actually, she seemed sort of upset, so decided to wait

with her, make sure she was all right.”

“What happened?”

“She told me to sod off!” Jack laughs. “You can’t

blame her, really—middle of the night, some stranger

chatting her up—but

wasn’t going anywhere, and

250

neither was she. We were stubborn as mules, the pair of

us. And eventually we got talking.” He smiles, staring at

the table.

“I kept asking her name, but she wouldn’t tell me,

wouldn’t tell me anything about herself. She said the night

was too beautiful to talk about ordinary daytime things—

anything serious or personal or real. So we just

talked

about nothing, really. Star signs and dreams …”

He trails off, sips his hot chocolate. “Then, before we knew

it, the sun had come up. She had to go and was late with

the fish. gave her my number, hoped she’d call, but to be

honest, didn’t think I’d ever see her again. But the next

morning, when

went down to the market—there she

was.”

smile, the cup warm in my hands.

“Well, after that it became kind of

ritual. Every

night I’d go to the beach, earlier and earlier, and she was

always there, staring at the sea.

took warm clothes,

coffee, sleeping bags and blankets, even, anything to keep

her warm—she seemed so cold all the time, her skin like

ice inside her fluffy jacket. And we’d just lie there on the

beach, staring at the stars, talking about nothing, or not

talking at all, till the sun came up.” He grins at me

suddenly. “I got last pick of the fish for two whole weeks,

but you know what? No one noticed,” he laughs. “They

didn’t even care.”

look at him. “Two weeks?”

“Two wonderful weeks …” He sighs, swirling his

cup. “And then one night turned up and she wasn’t there.

251

waited for her all night and well into the next morning.

But she didn’t come. She never came again. She just

disappeared.”

“Did you try to find her?”

“How could I? didn’t know her name, where she

lived, her phone number—I didn’t know anything about

her. Only her star sign. Scorpio.” He sighs. “It was like

she’d never existed, like I’d dreamed her up—the girl of

my dreams

“And then, the following winter, in the middle of the

night,

get this phone call. It’s Kathy, she’s having our

baby, she’s scared. Can come? didn’t think twice—I just

dropped everything and jumped in the car.

drove for

hours in the dark, hitting this dreadful storm on the way—

didn’t think I’d make it. Finally, just as was approaching

the hospital, saw Kathy running up the road. She looked

exactly the same, the same fragile beauty, the same

frightened, haunted look in her eyes, except this time

there was something else—an urgency about her.

“I pulled over and she just stared at me for

moment, frozen. Then she burst into tears. opened the

car door and she climbed inside, crumpled over in the

seat, and sobbed her heart out.

asked her about the

baby—what had happened, why she’d left the hospital—

but she wouldn’t answer, just begged me to drive—to take

her away somewhere, anywhere. So did. drove us to

little park and pulled over. But still Kathy couldn’t stop

crying. She kept saying over and over how she’d thought

wasn’t coming, that I’d left her. tried to comfort her, told

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her I’d never leave her—that I’d do anything for her. She

stared at me then. Just stared at me, for the longest time.

“Then she smiled, her beautiful face streaked and

blotched with tears as she took my hand. ‘You’re father,’

she whispered, the words filling the air around us, tingling

in my ears. ‘You’re daddy.’

His eyes fill and swallow hard.

“We drove back to the hospital and Kathy took me

inside, but the baby had been moved—taken to

bigger

hospital for special care.”

stare at him, the breath caught in my throat. She

came back …

“So we followed,” Jack says, his expression

softening. “I couldn’t believe it when saw her—this tiny

precious little person, so small, so fragile inside her

incubator, fighting for her life.

‘She’s yours,’ Kathy told me, showing me the

identity bracelet—the name she’d chosen. Holly Woods

‘She’s all yours.’ just stared at her, at this tiny miracle

with my name, and the earth moved beneath me. It was

the most incredible moment of my life. Suddenly was

father.” He looks at me and smiles. My insides glow.

“Kathy seemed so relieved. She started collecting

her things, giving me instructions. was confused, didn’t

understand. Then it dawned on me. She was leaving—and

she wanted to leave the baby with me.

“I tried to convince her that everything would be all

right, that I’d look after her and the baby, but she

refused—she couldn’t be mother, she said, she was only

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seventeen. hadn’t known she was that young

She grew

hysterical, saying no one knew, no one could know—that it was our secret. That she was relying on me.

“Nothing said made any difference. The baby was

mine, Kathy said, or else she’d give her up for adoption—

end of story. She was so upset, agreed. Of course I’d take

the baby, look after her, love her. was convinced Kathy

would change her mind, you see. thought if just stuck

around long enough she’d have

change of heart—that

we’d be family

“And for

while it seemed to work. Holly had to

stay in the special unit at the hospital, so booked us into

nearby hotel in town, and the next day Kathy seemed

much calmer, we even registered the birth together, that’s

how finally discovered her name. Katharine.” He smiles.

“I always think of her as Kathy—like Cathy from

Wuthering Heights—so wild and untameable, so fragile

“I visited Holly in the Unit every day, and

sometimes Kathy would come with me. She seemed to be

getting much better—I was convinced that once the shock

wore off, that once Holly was fully recovered and we could

bring her home …”

Jack sighs suddenly. “But the day brought Holly

back from the hospital, Kathy was gone.”

stare at him, frozen.

“She left

note—she was sorry, she’d gone to

California,

shouldn’t try to find her, please look after

Holly.” He rubs his brow. “I

didn’t know what to do.

took Holly home to my parents, and they went ballistic,

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told me

was an idiot—how did

know she was even

mine?—that

shouldn’t let some slapper ruin my life.

Then, when

told them

was keeping the baby, they

threw me out.”

gasp.

Jack shrugs. “They didn’t understand. Holly was my

daughter—I loved her more than anything in the world,

except—” He swallows. “So left. My grandparents lived in

San Francisco, so Holly and got on plane, stayed with

them, and got job in fish restaurant while tried to

find Katharine. was sure she’d have come to her senses

by now, knew she’d regret abandoning her baby for the

rest of her life …” He sighs. “But it was hopeless. She’d

vanished. Again. By the time Holly was old enough to ask

questions decided to tell her that her mother had died. It

seemed easier somehow. Kinder

“Then met Megan.” He smiles. “The girl with the

sunshine in her hair. And the rest is history. Her folks

lived on the East Coast, so we moved here, and when her

granddad died we took over his restaurant, got married.”

He smiles. “She was so beautiful, and warm and funny, and

so good with Holly—it was like everything had worked

out.

“Then, about eight years ago, got the shock of my

life when saw Katharine on TV. Calling herself Kitty now.

Kitty Clare—no wonder hadn’t been able to find her. It

was so surreal—I couldn’t believe it, after all that time …”

He shakes his head incredulously. “I wrote to her through

her agent, telling her where we were, sent photos of Holly,

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but she didn’t reply. Perhaps she never received the letter,

told myself, so kept trying—letters, photos, couple of

times

year—via her agent, her studios, determined to

give her every opportunity possible to know her daughter.

But when never heard from her again knew I’d been

right to lie to Holly. It’s better to have dead mother than

one who abandoned you, right?”

He looks at me, stricken. “Rosie, I’m so sorry—I

mean—”

“It’s okay,” say quietly. “I know what you mean.”

He sighs. “I’m not sure Holly’ll see it that way,