Someone Else's Life (34 page)

Rosie

“Come on, come
on
!” Jack hisses, thumping the dashboard as we stop at yet another red light. “Which terminal does the Website say?”

I check his mobile. “Terminal E,” I tell him, fidgeting in my seat, all my fingers and toes crossed as I stare at the lights, willing them to change.

We have to stop Holly, we
have
to—this is worse than Kitty. She was just looking for publicity, but Holly’s out for revenge. On me, on Sarah … I press my eyes closed. I
have
to stop her.

Before it’s too late.

Finally the airport looms up beside us, and I unbuckle my seat belt.

“Rosie, I can’t leave the car here—”

“You park,” I tell him, opening the door. “I’ll find Holly.”

I slam the door behind me and sprint toward the terminal building.
I have to find her
. I burst through the doors, my breath tight in my lungs, running, searching, scanning the concourse like my whole life depends on it.

Because it does.

Holly

Come on, come
on
! I tap my foot nervously as the check-in guy scans my passport.

“Never been abroad before, huh?” He grins. “Hope you don’t get airsick!”

I smile tightly, glancing anxiously at the entrance. Still no sign of Dad, thank God—this’ll be so much easier without a scene.

“Aisle or window?” the guy asks.

“Whatever!” I shrug, my eyes glued to the doors, scanning everyone who comes in. Josh squeezes my hand and I remember to breathe.

Finally the guy gives me my boarding pass, and I watch my bag disappear on the conveyor belt. No going back …

A niggle of doubt squirms inside me, but I ignore it. I’m doing the right thing, I
know
I’m doing the right thing—she’s
my
nana, it’s
my family
—I deserve some answers too.

And as for Sarah … My skin turns cold. She deserves everything that’s coming to her. It’s time she faced the consequences of what she did—faced me.

“Hey.” Josh grabs me in a warm hug and I begin to soften. “You take care of yourself, okay?”

“You too,” I whisper, his strong arms wrapped around me like he’ll never let go.

“Bring me back a gnome.”

I laugh despite myself. “A gnome?”

“Yeah.” He grins. “I always wanted a gnome. Named Yoda.”

I grin. “It’s a promise.” I kiss his cheek softly.

Then my smile fades.

Rosie

“Holly!” I yell at the top of my lungs.

She turns and hurries away, and I sprint faster, grab her arm. “Holly, wait!”

“Hey!” Josh warns as she wrenches away.

“Holly, please—just listen. Please don’t do this.”

“Why not?” she challenges, her eyes cold. “Why
shouldn’t
I?”

“Holly,
please
,” I beg. “Sarah will go to prison! She never meant you any harm—it was a mistake. You’ll ruin her life!”

“
She’s
ruined
my
life!” Holly rounds on me. “Why shouldn’t she be punished? Why shouldn’t I go claim my family, Rosie? You did. She’s
my
nana, after all!”

“Because …” I stare at her helplessly, a million reasons flooding to my lips.
Because she’s an old lady. Because it would destroy her world. Because she’s mine …

“Because she doesn’t know,” I tell her, my words sounding feeble, even to me.

“Neither did I.” She turns away, dragging Josh across the concourse.

“Holly, please.” I chase after her, desperate now. “You have a right to be angry—we both do—but this won’t solve anything! You can’t turn back the clock!”

“You tried to!” Holly counters.

“Yes, and look where it got me with Kitty!” I reason. “You were better off without her!”

“That’s easy for you to say!” she retorts. “I wouldn’t know. My mother’s dead!”

“I know, Holly—I’m the one who had to watch her die!”

She flinches.

“You really think my life’s been so easy—that I’m the
lucky
one in all this?!” I stare at her incredulously, blood blazing in my veins. “She was my
mother
, my
whole world
 … and there was nothing I could do. I just had to watch …”

She looks away.

“You’ve had eighteen years, Holly—eighteen happy, blissful years with a dad who loves you more than anything else on this planet, a wonderful stepmother and a gorgeous little brother—and you think
I’m
the lucky one?” Tears scorch my eyes.

She bites her lip.

“Don’t you see, there are no winners here, Holly. We’re the same—I never had a dad, you never had a mother. This accident, this mistake, it happened to
both
of us.”

“We’re
not
the same!” she yells. “My parents are dead! I’ll
never
know them!” She glares at me, her voice trembling. “
They’ll
never know
me
—because of Sarah, they never had the chance!”

“Holly.” I lower my voice as people begin to stare. “I know. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“And no, it wasn’t an accident,” she spits, eyes blazing. “It wasn’t a mistake—
your
mother didn’t
want
you. She left you, she
ran away. That’s
how this all happened! If Kitty hadn’t abandoned you we wouldn’t be in this mess!”

I freeze as she glares at me, eyes shimmering.

“My mother was desperate for me—you said it yourself—she wanted me more than anything else in the whole world, but I was taken from her—your friend
stole
me—
that’s
the difference!”

I stare at her, stunned, as Josh wraps his arm around her shoulders, tries to calm her down.

“It wasn’t an accident,” she repeats, her eyes burning into mine, clear as glass. “You were abandoned,” she clarifies coldly. “I was stolen.”

I stare at her as the room spins sickeningly. She’s right. Kitty didn’t want me—she never wanted me—she left me.
Twice
 …

“No one was abandoned,” Jack says quietly, walking up behind me.

Holly looks up at him, her jaw clenched tight.

“Holly,” he says gently. “Rosie, both of you have been loved.
Are
loved. None of this makes a difference, DNA doesn’t matter—”

“Ha!” Holly laughs coldly. “Well, you would say that, wouldn’t you?”

Jack stares at her, his face draining of color.

“You’re not my father, are you?” she says coldly. “You never were.” To my surprise, she looks at me. “And you’re not—”

“Holly—don’t,” Jack interrupts, grabbing her shoulders, his back to me. “Please …”

She stares up at him, her face stricken with pain. She shakes her head, disbelieving.

“Even now,” she whispers. “Even now?”

“Holly—”

“Get
off
me!” she yells, shrugging him away. “Don’t you
dare
!” Her voice is broken, splintered by tears. “Don’t you
dare
tell me what to do—you’re not my father—you were
never
my father!”

“Holly—” Jack tries again.

“Don’t
touch
me!” She recoils, stepping behind Josh, who looks awkwardly at Jack.

People are staring openly now, and a security guard is heading our way, but Holly seems oblivious, her face raw with emotion as she glares at Jack.

She turns to me, opens her mouth to speak, then closes it again, a hardness descending over her features. She picks up her bag, her back straight, her shoulders square, and without another word, she grabs Josh’s hand and walks away.

Holly

“Holly!” Dad cries, following me, but I keep walking, concentrating on putting one foot in front of another, heading for passport control. Hot tears spring, and I swipe at them angrily, Josh’s hand tight around mine.

“Holly!” Dad grabs my arm.

“Jack,” Josh says gently. “Sir, you can’t stop her.”

Dad shakes his head, his voice quiet, lost. “I’m not trying to.”

He looks at me, so sad.

“Holly, if this is what you want, if this is really what you want …”

“It is,” I tell him firmly, my jaw set.

“Then I’ll come with you.”

I stare at him in surprise.

“You’re my little girl, Holly-berry,” he whispers. “No matter what you say, you’ll always be my little girl.” He looks at me, his eyes full. “I just want you to be happy.”

I stare at him. He’d come with me? To find my family? My real family?

“No.” I shake my head, my voice trembling. “Thank you, but no—I have to … I have to do this by myself.”

He looks at me, his eyes mournful, like we’re saying goodbye for the last time.

“I understand.” He nods, blinking quickly. He rubs his hand over his face roughly, then opens his wallet and presses a wad of bills into my palm.

“Good luck, baby,” he whispers, leaning forward and kissing my forehead gently, the familiar scent of his jacket washing over me and stinging my eyes. “I love you.”

I look up at him, my heart wrenching in my chest.

How did it come to this?

I gaze at him for what seems like forever, until his face swims in front of mine and I can’t breathe … then I close my eyes tight, take a huge breath and force myself to turn away—away from everything I’ve ever known, everything I’ve ever loved—toward a future blurring before me …

Rosie

“This is crazy!” I yell at the airline rep. “There must be a flight—a stand-by seat or
something?
”

“Not tonight, I’m sorry, ma’am,” she says calmly. “Would you like me to book that flight for you on the thirtieth? That’s the earliest available seat right now.”

“Fine!” I say, tearing at my hair. “Fine—yes. Yes, please.”

I watch miserably as she makes the booking.

The thirtieth
—
four whole days away
. I’ve got to wait
four whole days
before I can fly. Four whole days during which Holly could destroy my world, my life, my nana … and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it.

“Come on, Rosie,” Jack says gently. “Let’s go home.”

Home
. If such a place even exists anymore …

I follow him gloomily back to the car.

I can’t believe he let her go—he just let her go …

But then, how could he stop her? I sigh. She’s just doing what I did. I close my eyes, thinking of Nana, so frail, so fragile; of Sarah, so warm and loving. Neither of them deserves this.

And it’s all my fault. I opened this can of worms, and now they’re everywhere, squirming wildly, ripping apart everything I love, totally out of my control. I sigh heavily.

But not yet—Holly’s not there yet, I reason. There’s still time. She won’t land for another six hours. Maybe she’ll change her mind …

Yeah, I sigh. And maybe the moon really is made of cheese.

Holly

I wake with a jolt as the seat belt sign pings on. I pull off my eye mask and squint around the cabin. Morning light streams through the tiny windows, and there, below, is London. I rub my eyes, staring at the famous landmarks unfolding beneath me—the London Eye, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace—it’s like a dream.

This
is
my dream, I think wistfully. Here I am, traveling at last. I rest my hand on my stomach. Though not quite the way I planned …

By the time I check into a hotel, I’m exhausted—jet lag, I suppose. I’ve made it as far as Maybridge, the nearest big town to Bramberley, but thought it might be better to leave the meet-and-greet until I’ve freshened up. One glance at the hotel mirror, and I’m glad I did: I’m a total mess.

I flop down on the bed and stare at the little address book.

Nana
. The word tingles on my tongue. She’s so close now—just the next village, just the other end of that phone …

I could call her, I think, the idea dancing in my mind. Just to make sure I have the right address … I pick up the receiver, pushing the buttons tentatively—the code that will unlock my history—then hold my breath as it rings.

“Hello?” a pleasant voice sings. “Laura Fisher’s residence.”

I can’t breathe, paralyzed by the sound of her voice.

“Hello?” she says again. “Is anyone there?”

I put the phone down quickly, my heart racing. It’s her. She’s real. My nana … And I’m going to find her.
Tomorrow
, I’ll find her.

I bite my lip, fear mingling with my excitement.

Or maybe the day after.

Rosie

I stare at my mobile as sunlight begins to creep across the ceiling:
5:05 a.m
.

Holly will be in England by now. She’s five hours ahead—she might even be in Bramberley.

My skin prickles.

I stare at the phone, trying to guess what’s going on on the other side of the Atlantic.

I could call Andy for the fiftieth time, check again if he’s managed to get hold of Holly yet, to talk her out of telling Nana …

Yeah, right. Like anyone could talk her out of it. I’ve never seen anyone more determined. And he’d have called me if he had. I sigh.

I could always call Nana myself … It would be better coming from me, better at least than hearing it from Holly, a stranger … even if that stranger is her
granddaughter
.

I pick up the phone, my hand shaking as I dial the familiar number, holding my breath as it rings.

Maybe she’s out. Maybe she’ll be out when Holly—

“Hello?” she says, her warm voice achingly familiar. “Hello, Laura Fisher’s residence.”

I can do this
. I close my eyes, the phone trembling in my hand.
I have to do this
.

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

“Hello?” she says impatiently. “Hello? Who
is
this?”

My throat constricts as I struggle desperately, but there are no words—how do I start? How can I even begin to explain this whole horrible mess?

“Hello?”

I drop the phone like a hot coal, burying my head deep in my pillow.

I can’t … I can’t do it … How can I possibly tell her?