Page 49 of Happier Days (Family Life in Somerley #1)

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

‘She’s the image of you,’ Harry said, wiping at his cheeks.

‘I can see you in her around her eyes. She has a few of your mannerisms, too.’

‘I hope she hasn’t got my moody nature and pessimism.’

‘No, she definitely lucked out there. She’s bright and positive and has a great attitude towards life.’

‘That’s all down to you.’

‘And my family, as well as my ex-husband, James. She grew up with him from the age of four until he died eight years ago.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be. He cared for Willow well. She had my parents, too, as well as my brothers and Cara.’

‘Do any of them know?’

‘Ruby has known all along. I told my mum not long after Willow was born. Jack didn’t know until last night.’

Harry was quieter now, more accepting.

‘I would have told you if you hadn’t skipped town,’ she remarked. ‘Didn’t your dad ever mention his suspicions to you?’

Harry shook his head. ‘We didn’t speak in years.

We had a fight one night after he’d come from the pub.

When I got up in the morning, I decided I couldn’t be there anymore.

So I-I stole some money from him and then left.

It was only a few hundred quid, but I realise it was more than that.

It was the dishonesty. I could never look him in the eye so that’s why I never came back. ’

‘For a few hundred quid? That’s a lame excuse. You could have saved that and given it back to him.’

‘You’re right, but I didn’t see it like that for a while. When I left, I was mad at him for dragging me up to hate him or hate the man he became when he was drunk. I was angry with Jack, too, for saying it was my fault that our business folded. It was, but I wouldn’t hear of it.

‘And then I became annoyed living in a little place like Sapphire Lake and thought there was a bigger and better world out there for me.’ He sniggered.

‘I ended up going as far as Birmingham, and when I thought about visiting, it just became one of those things that the more time I stayed away, the easier it was to forget it and leave it hanging.’ He hung his head in shame.

‘I did some terrible things when I was younger. I was so angry. Mind you, I don’t think that ever changed until my second divorce came through.

Since then, I’ve learned to like myself a little more.

I’m no longer that mean and moody teenager, but the mistakes I made are still there. ’

Eliza suddenly felt the need to comfort him. She moved to sit on the arm of the chair and put her hand on his forearm. ‘We all made mistakes when we were younger.’

‘Keeping the baby, you mean?’

‘No, there was never anything in my mind that told me to terminate her. Willow is the best thing that’s happened to me, my pride and joy.’

‘I haven’t asked… does she know about me?’

‘No, that’s up to you.’

Harry frowned.

‘I wanted to hear what you thought, see your reaction first before I told her. If you didn’t want to know, I wasn’t going to say anything. It may have become apparent if you were ever together, but I would have denied it.’

‘And now?’

‘Well, you haven’t thrown me out yet.’

‘It takes a bit of getting used to.’ Harry blew out a breath. ‘Can you give me some time?’

‘Of course.’ Eliza nodded. They had a few days before she’d have to tell him of Willow’s imminent arrival, and she was sure she’d be talking to him again before then. He just needed time to digest what she’d said.

She left him with his thoughts and with a few photos of Willow that she had sent to his phone. Closing the gate, she turned back to the cottage. Harry was watching her through the front window. She waved and then went on her way.

Who knew what might have happened if he hadn’t left and she’d been able to tell him?

Who knew what would happen from now? But her conscience was clear.

At sixteen, she’d made the best out of the worst possible scenario.

She’d had to grow up fast, learn to take care of a child and become a mum.

But she had done it, and look how well Willow had turned out.

Eliza wiped a tear away as she gave a hefty sigh. Life was complicated at times, there was just no getting over that.