‘I’m fine, thanks. And you haven’t changed at all. It’s incredible.’
Lola said, ‘Mum—’
‘Oh, sorry, love, this is Nick.’ Blythe jumped in before Lola could ask any awkward questions.
‘We knew each other years ago ... well, nice to see you again, we mustn’t keep you .. . heavens, is that the time already? We’re going to have to rush ifwe’re-----’
‘Mum, it’s OK.’ Desperate to explain, Lola blurted out, ‘I know who Nick is. And this isn’t a coincidence; he knew we’d be here today because I told him. We met up before Christmas. He’s my father. And we really like each other.’ Hopefully, because her mother was staring at her as if she’d just sprouted an extra pair of ears, she said, ‘So that’s good, isn’t it?’
Blythe’s hand trembled as she took a gulp of wine. Then another gulp. ‘You planned this.’ Her voice rose in disbelief. ‘You met up before Christmas?’
‘I was going to tell you,’ Lola said hurriedly, ‘but I didn’t know how you’d react. And then Malcolm turned up on Christmas morning ...’
‘OK if I sit down?’ Nick indicated a spare chair.
‘My God, this is too much to take in.’ Clutching her head, Blythe said, Just turning up like this, out of the blue ... how did it happen? Who found who?’
‘Well, it wasn’t me,’ said Lola. ‘It couldn’t have been me, could it? Seeing as you told me my father was an American who never even told you his real name.’
Her mother rubbed her forehead with both hands and said nothing.
‘Because that wouldn’t have exactly given me a lot to go on.’ Lola’s tone was dry.
‘Which is why I said it. And it worked,’ Blythe retaliated. ‘It did the trick perfectly well.’
Pointedly she added, ‘For twenty-seven years.’
‘I saw Lola being interviewed on the local news.’ Nick pulled out the chair and sat down. ‘Just for a few seconds, but it was enough. I had to find out if she was my daughter. And she is.’ His eyes softening, he slid one hand across the table towards Blythe then withdrew it as she snatched hers out of reach. ‘You’ve done a fantastic job, Blythe. She’s an absolute credit to you.’
Lola felt ridiculously proud. Her father thought she was pretty good, possibly even fantastic.
‘And to Alex. Her stepfather,’ Blythe said stiffly. ‘He’s the one who helped to bring her up.’
Nick nodded. ‘Of course.’
‘I’ve told him all about Alex,’ said Lola.
‘And did he tell you everything too?’ Breathing rapidly, Blythe turned her attention to Nick.
‘Hmm? Did you? Everything?’
People at other tables were starting to pay attention. Maybe organising this surprise reunion in a restaurant hadn’t been such a great idea. Lola, who had thought having other people around might help to keep things under control, said surreptitiously, ‘Mum, sshh.’
Which was kind of pointless seeing as Nick didn’t bother to lower his own voice when he said,
‘Yes, Blythe, she knows I went to prison.’
Now it was the turn of the avidly eavesdropping woman at the next table to go sshh at her husband who was droning boringly on about golf.
‘That was twenty-seven years ago,’ Nick continued. ‘I made a mistake and I paid for it a hundred times over. I lost you and I lost my daughter. And before you ask, no, I haven’t been in trouble with the police since then. I am a normal decent law-abiding citizen.’
‘Congratulations’ Frostily Blythe said, ‘Some of us have always been that.’
‘Hey. Blythe.’ His smile crooked, Nick seized the bottle of Merlot and poured some into Lola’s empty water glass. ‘It really is fantastic to see you again. We don’t have to fight, do we? Can’t we just be friends?’
‘What? I don’t know. This has only just happened.’ Blythe noisily exhaled, shook her head. ‘I can’t even think straight.’
‘I never stopped thinking about you. About both of you.’ For a second her eyes flashed. ‘And I never stopped thinking about the way you lied to me.’
‘Mum, it’s all in the past.’
‘But it happened,’ Blythe insisted. ‘I was eight months pregnant when I got the phone call telling me my boyfriend was in prison. No warning, no hints, just ... bam. It was like .. . God, it was like the whole world had exploded. I thought my life was over, I didn’t know what to do, I was desperate. And now here you are, turning up again out of the blue, saying, hey, never mind all that, it’s in the past, let’s just put it behind us and be friends!’ She paused, sitting back in her seat and raking her fmgers through her hair. ‘Because I don’t know if I want us to be friends. I’m fine as I am, thanks.’
‘I’m Lola’s father,’ said Nick.
‘Not as far as I’m concerned. Alex was the one who was there for her.’ Heatedly Blythe said, And guess what? He didn’t go to prison once!’
Lola closed her eyes; not quite the Hallmark reunion she’d been hoping for. ‘Mum, you lied to me about Nick, remember? You didn’t tell me the truth because you wanted to protect me, you didn’t want me to be hurt.’
Her mother said defensively, ‘So? Was that wrong?’
‘No! You did it because you loved me!’ Spreading her arms wide, narrowly missing the groin of a startled passing waiter, Lola said, ‘But that’s exactly why Nick lied to you! He didn’t tell you about being arrested and charged because he loved you and didn’t want you to be upset!’
