Page 64

July 2024

Zach

Lake Champlain, New York

Jason and Dom wore matching black aprons and chef’s hats. They stood by the barbecue, their laughter mingling with the sizzling and spitting of steaks. They had formed an instant bond when they’d met the previous week. Zach’s three sisters, Jenny, Ally and Issy, lay side by side on sun loungers, their giggles filling the air as they caught up on gossip. Jenny and Ally’s children played tag with Ben, who joyfully toddled around. They were captivated by their new Irish cousin, their laughter echoing through the backyard.

Zach’s mom and Michael, their wine glasses glinting in the sunlight, stood at the lake’s edge, voices intermingling with the children’s laughter. Then Lily emerged from the house, a small infant nestled in a sling against her chest. She walked up to Zach, and he gazed down at his new niece, her tiny features a perfect reflection of innocence. Only two months old, but already a source of boundless love. Her rosebud lips pouted as she slept, a picture of serenity against her mother’s warm embrace.

‘I still can’t believe this, you know,’ Zach said, his voice filled with a mix of wonder and gratitude. ‘When I walked into your office a year ago, I could never have dreamed any of this.’

‘Me neither,’ Lily replied. ‘The year was full of surprises . . .’ She nodded towards her little girl.

‘The best one of all,’ Zach said, his voice filled with emotion, leaning down to kiss the baby’s soft head. ‘I feel like –’ he paused, a lump forming in his throat – ‘that with Lexi here, it’s a chance to get things right. You and I didn’t get to grow up together, and I didn’t get to be your big brother, but Ben can do that for Lexi.’ He stopped, his heart swelling with love and longing.

Lily nodded and he was glad she understood his sentiment. ‘I thought something similar too. And you know what else, Zach? While we didn’t grow up together as kids, we’re making up for it now.’

This was one of the things that made him happier than anything else. His relationship with Lily, Michael, Ben and Jason grew stronger daily. And, no matter what the DNA said, he felt like Lily’s older brother.

They’d banked many happy memories over the past year, but one of his favourites was going to an Ireland rugby match with Jason, Michael and Ben, who looked so cute, wearing a pair of ear muffs. Zach knew that technically he wasn’t Irish, but he felt a connection to Ireland in the same way he had always felt one to Spain. Both were early homes for him and markers for who he was and who he’d become.

‘Michael and I have been planning Lexi’s christening,’ Lily said. ‘We’ve set the date for the first of September.’

‘Oh, that’s nice,’ Zach replied.

‘We wondered if you would do us the honour of being Lexi’s godfather?’ Lily asked, looking up at him from under her lashes.

Happiness burst out of Zach in a delighted laugh. ‘I’d love to. I’d be honoured. Jeez, thanks, Lily. Means a lot to me.’

‘It means a lot to me too,’ Lily replied. She leaned her head on Zach’s shoulder, and they stood side by side, watching the sun begin to set over the blue waters of Lake Champlain.

‘Do you think she’s okay with you all here?’ Zach asked.

There was no need to elaborate on who sh e was. Kimberly remained the elephant in every room they were in.

Lily sighed. ‘Mum will be fine, doing what she does best – working. When I saw her last week, she had received the deeds for a new property she plans to convert to flats. She never stops.’

Zach whistled softly. ‘She’s a powerhouse.’

‘I think it’s more than that. I don’t think she can stop,’ Lily said in a low voice. ‘Work helps her quieten the nagging voice of truth. When she’s at work, she can keep pretending she’s living her perfectly curated life.’

‘Has your dad spoken to her yet?’

Lily shook her head. ‘Nope. He’s not said a word to her since that day at my house, when all our dirty washing came tumbling out.’

‘I thought they might get back together, you know,’ Zach said, nodding towards Jason, who was popping the caps on two beers. ‘He was so gentle with her after she told us about Bertie and her mother.’

‘Their relationship has always been complicated. They never could get over the trauma of losing the future they’d hoped and dreamed of for their family.’ She sighed, then added softly, ‘Lost in the blink of an eye, not once, but twice.’

‘I sometimes think I’ve dreamt all of this. It feels too incredible that Kimberly ever did that to my mom. And to your dad.’ Zach replied.

‘I think I could forgive her for taking you. Especially knowing about Bertie. But I’ll never forgive her for not telling dad. And me. Betrayal and guilt found its way into our family decades ago, courtesy of Mum.’

Zach nodded towards Jason, whose head was tilted back as he roared laughter at something Dom was saying. ‘It’s good to see Jason beginning to move past it all now.’

Lily looked over to her father, and a smile lit up her face. Jason looked younger, relaxed, and that frantic energy he’d always exuded had finally been put to bed. With so much spare time on his hands, he now devoted himself to his dad, and to Lily, Michael, Ben and Lexi.

‘Dad says that he’ll never forgive Mum for the years he lost. And, to be honest, Zach, I don’t think he should. Mum did a terrible thing – there must be consequences.’

The words hung heavy in the air, a testament to the deep wounds and the long road that still lay ahead of them before they could ever reach a place of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Then Ben ran towards them, shouting excitedly as he held his arms up: ‘Uncle Zach, bring me to the boat! I want to see the fishies.’

With a quick wink to his sister, Zach scooped his nephew up into his arms and made his way to the lake.

Thousands of miles away, Kimberly stood in a bright, open-plan flat, holding a glossy brochure in her hand. She pointed out the spacious wardrobe and en suite of the primary bedroom to a young couple who hoped to rent it. They were a handsome duo, excited about renting their first home together.

‘We could put the crib over there,’ the young woman said, holding a protective hand to her tummy.

‘You’re pregnant.’ Kimberly said, smiling. ‘Congratulations. It’s such a special time.’

‘Do you have kids or grandkids?’ the man asked as he slung his arm round his wife’s shoulders.

The gesture brought a lump to Kimberly’s throat. These two were united in love, as Kimberly and Jason once had been. But it had been nearly a year since she’d last spoken to her ex-husband. Even during their most challenging times, they never went longer than two weeks without contact. Lily was barely civil to her, and she felt lucky to be allowed to visit her grandchildren, Ben and Lexi, once every two weeks. Michael kept telling Kimberly to be patient, that she must give Lily time, that she would come round. And Kimberly was trying hard to do that.

As for Zach and Lily, they were as thick as thieves. From what Kimberly could see on their Instagram accounts, they spent most weekends in each other’s company. The relationship that Kimberly and Sally had dreamed of for their children, all those years ago in the orphanage, had finally happened. They were as close as siblings.

Her heart ached as she thought of Zach, because he, like Jason, had refused all efforts Kimberly had made to contact him. He’d sent her a letter, handwritten on exquisite white notepaper, embossed with his name, asking her never to contact him again. Zach said he couldn’t forgive her for what she’d done to everyone, but especially for the pain she’d inflicted on his mom.

Sally.

Thinking of her hurt more than anything. Too much pain had passed between them to ever return to the closeness they’d once had. And that was okay, because Kimberly didn’t want to be Sally’s friend any more.

Sally had been Elsie’s friend, not hers.

And Elsie hadn’t existed for more than forty years. She was as dead as her mother and Bertie were.

Kimberly wondered if Sally was gloating now. Because, if this was a game, Sally had won, fair and square. And the final blow was that Kimberly’s family were all with Sally in America. Her pure light still shone so brightly that they all couldn’t help but circle her, like moths to a flame.

‘Are you okay?’ the young pregnant woman asked, bringing Kimberly out of her reverie. ‘I keep telling my husband that he shouldn’t ask people such personal questions.’

‘I’m sorry,’ he said, grimacing an apology.

Kimberly flicked back her hair and smiled brightly. ‘No, it’s me who is sorry. I got lost for a moment, thinking about my family.’

The couple beamed back at her, and Kimberly had a good feeling about them. ‘You know, you both remind me of my husband and me. We’ve been married for more than forty years! And would you believe it was in this block of flats that we met? Jason was my landlord!’

Kimberly chuckled when the couple made appropriate surprised gasps.

‘We have two children, Robert and Lily. All grown up now! Robert is the clever one, and very handsome. Everyone says he looks like me. Oh, and that’s not to say that my daughter isn’t beautiful and clever too. She has made me a grandmother – twice! We are so close. She leans on me heavily, with two little ones, who are my everything. But I don’t mind. My favourite thing to do is spend time with my family. Let me show you a photograph of little Ben and Lexi . . .’

Kimberly felt no guilt for her masquerade – she never intended to deceive. Many times over the years she’d walked in shadow, relying on others to bring brightness to her life. But Kimberly had found a way to live in light even when there was only darkness around. And it was glorious .