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Sarah came back into the kitchen with a tall man walking behind her. He stood before them, his face flushed, hands bunched together.

‘Hello, Lucy,’ he said.

‘Who the hell is this?’ Billy shouted. ‘What is going on?’

‘Dad,’ Jenny said, holding his arm. ‘This is Tom. The twins’ father.’

Billy’s mouth dropped open.

Lucy hadn’t moved a muscle. She staredat Tom, unable to speak or move. It was surreal. Her brain couldn’t take it in.

‘Please,’ Tom said, holding up his hands. ‘I just want a chance to explain.’

‘Get out of my house,’ Lucy hissed. ‘Go away and don’t come back.’

There was a sudden movement, and before any of them realized what was happening, Billy was in front of Tom. He pulled his arm back and punched Tom across the left cheek.The sound made the three women jump. Tom fell sideways onto the floor, where he lay clutching his face. Slowly, he stood up. Billy was standing there, his breathing ragged, eyes full of tears.

‘Stop!’ Jenny shouted, running around to grab hold of her father.

‘Well done, Dad. Now you can bugger off back to America,’ Lucy shouted at Tom. ‘You do not get to waltz back in here after all this time.No way. We don’t want you here!’

Lucy turned to Sarah and shook a trembling finger in her face. ‘As for you, you back-stabbing bitch, how could youbring him here? How could you let him come into our lives? I thought you were my friend. After everything I’ve been through!’ Lucy began to cry.

Sarah tried to put her hand on Lucy’s shoulder, but she brushed her off. ‘Lucy, he didn’t know they existed.He’s their dad – he just wants to know them. You had a dad who loved you. I didn’t and I missed it. I still miss never having had a dad who gave a damn about me. Tom wants to make amends. He’s sorry.’

‘Sorry!’ Lucy shouted, glaring at Tom. ‘Now? After abandoning us? Now he’s sorry. It’s too late.’

‘Give him a chance to explain,’ Jenny pleaded. ‘He honestly didn’t know about the twins.’

‘Howcould you betray me?’ Lucy said angrily. ‘You’re my sister. You saw what he did – you saw what I went through.’ She sobbed.

‘Jenny only found out recently. It was me who was in touch with Tom. If you want to blame someone, blame me,’ Sarah said.

‘What the hell is going on? Why is everyone shouting?’ Dylan stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the shop, staring at them in confusion.

‘No,’ Lucy said, moving towards him.

‘Dylan.’ Tom’s voice cracked. ‘I’m –’

‘Who is he?’ Dylan’s voice shook as he looked at Lucy, who was crying.

There was a silence, then Jenny said gently, ‘He’s your dad.’

Dylan recoiled in shock. ‘What? I … how …’

‘I’m so happy to meet you,’ Tom said, walking towards him and proffering his hand.

‘Get the fuck away from me.’

Tom held up his hands. ‘Dylan,I know this is a huge shock to you. It is to me too. I had no idea that –’

Dylan jerked away from him and put his arm around Lucy’s shoulders. ‘You’re not my dad. A dad is someone who shows up every day. Someone who actually gives a shit about you and doesn’t run away like a coward before you’re born. Piss off. I don’t want anyone upsetting my mum.’ His voice shook with emotion.

‘Dylan, please.’Tom tried to suppress a sob. Even saying the name made him want to weep with joy. His son, his magnificent son, was standing in front of him. Tom wanted to reach out and pull him into his arms. His son.

But he knew he had to stay in control. ‘Dylan, I swear to you, I do not want to upset anyone, least of all Lucy. I deeply regret leaving your mother that day. I was a coward and a fool and I hatemyself for what I did. But I had no idea I had children. I didn’t know you existed until recently, and when I found out …’ Tom’s voice cracked ‘… I had to come. I just had to.’

Billy stood between Dylan and Tom and eyeballed Tom. ‘Listen here, sonny, you left my young daughter pregnant and heartbroken. You never came back and you never even had the decency to contact her. You deserted her andnever bothered to ask what happened because you didn’t care. Lucy raised those kids on her own and I couldn’t be prouder of my grandkids. You don’t get to come back in here and pretend it’s all okay. Who the hell do you think you are to come in here now, when Lucy is on her knees with worry and stress about our Kelly? I will not have my daughter being upset by you or that prick of a father of yours.You’ve caused enough trouble in this family. So just get the hell out of here.’