Page 20 of The Sun Sister

‘Thanks, Electra.’

‘Did he...did the father—’

‘His name was Theo.’

‘Did Theo know about Bear?’

‘No, and nor did I until a few weeks after he died. At the time I thought the roof had fallen in on my world, but now –’ Ally smiled at me and I read genuine contentment in her clear blue eyes – ‘I wouldn’t be without him.’

‘Did you consider...?’

‘An abortion? The thought did run briefly through my head, yes. I mean, I had my sailing career, Bear’s dad was dead, and I had no home at the time either. I could never have gone through with it, though. I feel Bear was a gift. Sometimes, when I’m up feeding him in the small hours, I really sense Theo around me.’

‘You mean, his spirit?’

‘Yes, I do.’

‘I wouldn’t have thought that you believed in all that shit,’ I said with a frown.

‘Nor would I, but something amazing happened the night before Bear was born.’

‘Like what?’

‘I flew over to Spain in search of Tiggy, who’d just been diagnosed with a heart condition, but had run off to find her birth family. And she told me something, Electra, something that only Theo could have known.’

I watched Ally’s pale hand go to the necklace she was wearing.

‘What was it?’

‘Theo bought me this.’ Ally held up the tiny turquoise eye that sat on a chain. ‘The chain had broken a few weeks before and Tiggy said that Theo wanted to know why I wasn’t wearing it. Then she said he liked the name Bear, and you know what, Electra? He did!’

Tears appeared in Ally’s eyes.

‘Anyway, having been a cynic, I’m afraid I’m now a convert. And I just know Theo is watching over us.’ She shrugged and gave me a misty smile.

‘I sure wish I had a belief like that. Trouble is, I don’t believe much in anything. So, how is Tiggy’s heart now?’

‘Much better apparently. She’s back in the Scottish Highlands and very happily ensconced with the doctor who looked after her when she was sick. He also happens to be the owner of the estate she works on.’

‘It could be wedding bells for her soon then?’

‘I doubt it; Charlie’s still technically married and going through a pretty ugly divorce from what Tiggy’s told me.’

‘And the other sisters?’

‘Maia’s still in Brazil with her lovely man, Floriano, and his daughter, Star is in Kent in England helping her boyfriend – who for some reason is known as Mouse – renovate his house, and CeCe’s in Australia living with her grandfather and her friend Chrissie in the Outback. I’ve seen some photos of her paintings and they’re just amazing. She’s so talented.’

‘So all the sisters have found a new life?’ I said.

‘Yes, it seems like it.’

‘And they each found it through searching for their past?’

‘They did, yes. And I did too. I emailed you to tell you I had a twin brother, didn’t I?’

‘Um...’

‘Oh Electra, I did, really. And a biological father who is a musical genius, but a total drunkard to boot.’ I watched Ally smile fondly at the thought of him as she deftly moved the baby from one breast to the other.