Page 31 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

‘He wrote me a letter.’

‘A letter?’

‘Yes, that’s right. After Georg arrived in Dublin last night and convinced me to fly out and join you all, he presented me with a package when we were on the jet. In that package was a letter, and a diary.’ I spoke slowly and cautiously, not wanting to leave out any detail or get something wrong.

‘The letter was from Pa?’ Star asked.

‘Yes. I believe I’m right in saying that all of you received a letter from him?’ There was general nodding. ‘Well, I received one too. As you can imagine, this is all very nerve-racking for me, particularly after you spoke so... passionately earlier, CeCe.’ I noted some of the women shooting a look to their sister, who stared down at the floor.

I reached into my bag to retrieve the letter, along with the copy of the charcoal drawing of my mother. As I returned them to the table, I noted how badly my hands were shaking.

‘Please, Merry, there’s no need to be nervous. We just want to know what’s going on,’ said Ally comfortingly.

‘Firstly, I’d like to show you a drawing,’ I held it up for the table to examine.

‘Oh my goodness. Merry... I knew I recognised your face from somewhere,’ Star said. ‘Does everyone know what this picture is?’

‘Excuse my French butholy shit!’ added Electra. ‘That thing’s been in Pa’s office for as long as I can remember.’

‘And it’s you! The charcoal drawing was always you!’ exclaimed CeCe.

‘Actually, no, this drawing is not of me. But I do agree with you, the likeness is uncanny. Georg confirmed to me lastnight that this is a picture of my mother. When I saw it, it stirred some emotional, primal reaction in me,’ I confessed.

‘The drawing that Pa’s had in his study for all these years is your mother...’ Maia said, slowly looking round at her sisters. I sensed that they were beginning to connect the dots.

‘I noticed that it vanished from Pa’s office at some stage during the last year. That explains that mystery.’ Ally turned to Georg. ‘I imagine you removed it and made that copy to help in the search for Merry?’

Georg nodded.

‘I’m assuming you still have the original somewhere?’ asked CeCe.

Georg paused. ‘I know where the original is, yes.’

I picked up the baton again. ‘In truth, girls, I’m here for myself, as much as I’m here to share this journey with you. I want to discover my true heritage, and it’s a riddle that starts with your father.’ I shook my head. ‘The thing is, Georg has made it clear to me that in terms of your Pa Salt’s life, you seem to have as little knowledge as I do.’

‘That’s certainly turning out to be true,’ Electra mumbled.

‘He wasyourfather. He raised you, and you loved him. And that is why I hope that we can learn about him together.’ I picked up the letter, and removed it from the envelope. ‘Will I go ahead and read it?’

There was a keen nod of agreement.

‘“My darling daughter...”’

I put the letter down and returned my gaze to the table. Tiggy walked over to me and enveloped me in an enormous hug.

‘I thought I felt him close by,’ she said. ‘But it was you.’

‘Nothing went wrong with your adoption process. You werehis...’ Maia whispered.

‘You’re Pa’s flesh and blood, Merry. That’s amazing,’ added Ally.

‘All this time, he had arealdaughter,’ CeCe said.

‘No. That is not the appropriate word, CeCe.’ Georg spoke forcefully, the lawyer in him seeping out. ‘You were, each of you, hisrealdaughters, and he loved you as if you were of his own lineage. I sincerely hope none of you would disagree with that.’

‘No, of course not,’ replied Star.

There was a pause as the sisters tried to absorb what this all meant.