Authors: Katie Fforde
She had just ushered her mother out of the back door so she could lock up when she had a terrible thought. She stopped. ‘Mum!’
‘What?’ Her mother turned round, surprised by the sudden urgency in Sian’s voice.
‘Mum, there’s something I should tell you.’
‘What? Spinach in my teeth? Visible dandruff? What’s so urgent?’
Sian was still standing with her hand on the door knob. ‘It’s Rory.’ She saw her mother go pale. ‘He’s all right! No, this is about his father.’
Penny didn’t look much happier on hearing this. ‘Have you heard from him?’
She’d realised she couldn’t let her mother go to the party without telling her first. Fiona would assume she had told her and might mention it. Her mother would be so hurt to find out from a stranger, even if she was a fellow grandmother.
‘Sort of,’ she said. ‘He lives next door. He’s Fiona’s son, Gus.’
Penny put her hand up to her mouth, coughed and then rubbed her forehead. ‘Right. And this is just coincidence?’
‘Nearly. I met Gus at Richard’s party.’
‘Ah.’
‘But Gus doesn’t know. Fiona does, she spotted the likeness and she made me promise to tell Gus soon. Today is the deadline. She says he has to know, that it’s not fair on him for me to keep it from him.’
Penny chewed her lip. ‘I think she’s right.’
‘But don’t say anything, will you? I mean, I’ve got to tell him, I accept that, but—’
‘Of course I won’t say anything, but, darling, you did pick your moment rather, to tell me.’ Penny looked utterly bewildered.
‘I know. If I didn’t feel I had to tell Gus today I would have chosen a better time. But I thought you should know first, somehow. And I wanted to tell you in person.’
She felt horribly guilty for not having told her mother sooner, especially when she and her father had been such a support over the years. She should have known her mother wouldn’t judge her or think her a bad person.
Penny went up to her daughter and hugged her. ‘Come on, let’s go. They’ll be waiting for us.’
Fiona was as welcoming to Sian’s mother as she had been to Sian and Sian was proud of her mother’s ability to behave as if she hadn’t just received startling news.
‘So where’s the birthday boy?’ asked Penny, when she’d been given a glass of wine.
‘Playing dens with my son, Angus,’ said Fiona. ‘They’ll be back in a minute. I just sent them a text saying they must appear.’
‘I thought Sian said your son’s name was Gus,’ said Penny.
‘Lots of people do call him that but I prefer Angus. He answers to both, thank goodness.’ The doorbell rang before Penny could indicate that she knew that Gus was Rory’s father. ‘Ah, the first guests!’ Fiona said. ‘I’d better let them in. Where are those boys?’
Fiona went to the door and Penny mouthed to Sian how lovely she thought she was. Sian could tell that, as the news sank in, her mother was beginning to be pleased. With such a charming mother, Rory’s father must be a ‘nice boy’.
Fiona came back with Richard at her heels. ‘Help yourself to a glass of wine and then you all go through to the conservatory. As it’s such a nice day, we’re having the food outside.’ The bell jangled again. ‘Why does everyone come at once, and where
are
Angus and Rory?’
Richard kissed Sian. ‘Hello, Penny,’ he said to Sian’s mother and kissed her too. Sian felt she could see him turning into a son-in-law before her very eyes. She didn’t know whether having him here today would be a help or a hindrance. Would she get a moment to tell Gus alone and what would Richard say when he found out? She’d have to tell him too at some point.
Angus and Rory appeared, filthy, and were dispatched by their respective mothers to clean up. They still hadn’t reappeared by the time Jody and Annabelle had come –without the big brothers. Rory would be disappointed but they were having a boys-together day with their father.
‘I must say I’m a little nervous about meeting all these new people,’ Sian admitted to Jody and Fiona. Penny and Annabelle had gone to shout up the stairs after Gus and Rory.
‘Oh, no need to be anxious!’ Fiona handed Jody a glass of wine. ‘They’re all lovely and – big coup – I’ve asked the head teacher from Rory’s school! She hasn’t got children herself but was very happy to come.’
‘Why would anyone go to a children’s birthday party if they didn’t have children?’ asked Sian. ‘I asked Emily, you know? Who runs the playgroup? She had a “prior engagement”. I don’t blame her!’
‘You’d be surprised who’s agreed to come. Melissa couldn’t be kept away.’
‘You asked Melissa?’ Sian couldn’t keep the horror from her voice.
‘Well, not really, but I was talking about it in the shop while I was buying things for Rory’s cake. She invited herself. I did stress it was an outdoor party and Angus would be doing lots of very dirty things with the children. She laughed and said she didn’t want to be left out when Angus was doing dirty things.’
‘She sounds fun,’ said Jody.
Sian frowned. She found it hard to admit that Melissa could be fun, really, because she was still annoyed about her stealing her house and not even seeming to think Sian might find that a problem. But Melissa had got her a very good commission. She wondered how Gus and Melissa had enjoyed her birthday drinks and then brushed the thought aside. It was none of her business. ‘At least I know her,’ she said.
‘The head teacher?’ said Jody. ‘Do you mean of Fillhollow School? Miss Andrews? She’s a very good head. The boys love her.’
‘Felicity, that’s right,’ said Fiona. ‘And then there are two other families. Tom and Meg, who’ve got Cassandra who’s going to be in Rory’s class, and Immi and Peter. Their eldest is at school already and their little one will start next year. They’re lovely.’
‘And that’s it?’ Sian felt relieved. There wouldn’t be too many new people to cope with. And although she hadn’t met some of the other mothers from the playgroup properly yet she knew them by sight and Jody said they were all lovely. It was silly, after all these years, to be embarrassed to explain she was a single mother but when meeting people for the first time she always had a frisson of nerves.
‘It’ll be fine, darling, honestly,’ said Penny. She knew how Sian felt. ‘Just be yourself. They’ll love you.’
The conservatory was the perfect party venue. People spilled out into the garden and the children ran out to play with the various wheeled toys and the small paddling pool that Fiona had borrowed. Sian was both impressed and grateful. She wouldn’t have been able to produce such an ideal set-up. She wouldn’t have had the space for a start, or the contacts.
At last Rory and Gus appeared, both with rather wet hair, but looking very clean.
‘Sorry we’re late,’ said Gus.
‘We had a shower,’ said Rory. ‘We were so dirty!’
‘Better late than never,’ said Penny. ‘You must be Gus.’ They shook hands before Penny turned to Rory. ‘And hello, birthday boy!’
‘Hello, Granny!’ screamed Rory. ‘Is Grandpa here?’
‘No, darling, he couldn’t come. But I’ve got a very special surprise for you later, when you open your presents.’
‘Oh, presents!’ said Rory, who in the excitement of seeing the shelter and playing with Gus had obviously forgotten all about them.
The children were outside and Gus was gathering them together, making them wait until everyone was present and correct before taking them to the shelter. Sian had forgotten her shyness and everyone was chatting happily, drinking wine and eating crisps. Even Richard, who wasn’t used to being around so many children and parents, seemed to be enjoying himself.
‘You and Richard must come to dinner with us,’ Immi was saying. ‘Not that I can cook or anything, but we always drink a lot so no one cares.’
‘We’re not actually alcoholics or anything,’ said Peter, ‘and if the children get on, Rory could sleep in Hamish’s bottom bunk, and then you don’t have to worry about babysitters.’
‘It sounds great fun,’ said Richard. ‘Sian, Rory and I would love it.’
Sian tried not to feel irritated by his proprietorial tone.
‘Oh, here’s Melissa,’ said Immi under her breath. ‘She always makes me feel fat and frumpy, which is what I am, but I don’t like to be made to feel like that.’
‘You’re not at all fat or frumpy!’ said Sian, warming to her new friend even more.
‘Hi, guys!’ said Melissa, looking more gorgeous in her ‘rough-tough’ outfit than Sian ever felt dressed in her best. ‘I got my legs out for the occasion.’ She held one up for inspection.
‘The trouble with shorts,’ said Immi, ‘although they look lovely if you’ve got the legs, is that you do have to slather on the fake bake or something.’
Something about the way she said it implied that Melissa hadn’t got the legs for shorts, although Sian could see nothing wrong with them.
‘I went for a St Tropez the other day,’ said Melissa, now looking at her legs more critically.
‘They look great!’ said Sian, trying not to grit her teeth.
‘No streaks? Good-oh.’ Melissa checked that every man present was looking at her and then said, ‘Oh! Sian! Angus gave me the name board you painted for me! It’s to die for! So sweeeet!’ She turned to the others and giggled. ‘It’s got the cutest little ponies on it, like the Thelwell ones. I loved those cartoons when I was young; I loved anything to do with ponies, still do. It used to drive Mummy mad.’
‘That sounds interesting,’ said Felicity Andrews, the head teacher. ‘Do you think you might be interested in doing some name plates for the Reception class? We usually have cardboard ones but it would be rather fun to have wooden ones. We’ve got a bit of money raised by parents for just that sort of thing. The children would love something more than just bog-standard ships and trains. I must get your telephone number, Sian, and we can arrange a proper time to get together to see what you can do for them.’
The conversation about name boards and what range of designs would work best continued for a few moments before Melissa got bored now she wasn’t the centre of attention.
‘What about this shelter then?’ she said. ‘Angus told me all about it and I can’t wait to see it!’
‘Come on then,’ said Gus overhearing her. ‘Whoever wants to come, can.’
‘Hardly worth having a shower,’ said Penny as she and Fiona watched Angus lead the troop of children accompanied by Peter and Melissa. ‘They’ll get just as filthy again.’
Sian followed them. Richard had gone to fetch Rory’s present from the car, rather to Sian’s relief. He’d been a bit too possessive for her liking, but she hadn’t known how to stop him without appearing rude.
Seeing the shelter completed for the first time, Sian was amazed. It looked like a hillock, covered in leaves, with a dark entrance. The leaf litter was so thick she realised Gus or someone must have gathered a lot more. You had to crawl to get into it, although it turned out to be big enough for two. She was really impressed, but didn’t tell Gus. Plenty of other people were doing that for her.
Gus and the others clambered in and out of the shelter, instantly covered in dirt, just as Penny had predicted. It was as well they’d all dressed appropriately for the occasion – well, some of them had. There had been a little too much leg and shapely bottom on display as Melissa crawled into the shelter and out again for Sian’s liking.
Gus now had Rory on his shoulders. As he was putting him down Rory fell off on to the rug, giggling almost to the point of hysteria. They both ended up rolling on the ground.
‘Oh you two!’ said Melissa. ‘You look exactly alike. Both filthy.’ Then she suddenly stopped and stared. ‘You
do
look alike. Why is that, I wonder?’
‘They’re not at all alike,’ said Penny quickly as Sian held her breath and Fiona glanced anxiously at her son. ‘Rory is so blond!’
‘No, seriously, Angus, what were you doing nine months before today five years ago?’ Melissa looked intently at Gus.
The others all turned to look at the tableau on the rug.
Sian couldn’t bear it. She shook herself free of Richard’s hand and set off towards the house, but not before she saw Gus look down at his son and recognise him.
Sian hurried into the downstairs cloakroom, locked the door and spent a long time washing her hands and splashing her face. Should she take Gus aside and tell him, as she’d told Fiona she would? Or could she just leave it? After all, he knew now. He didn’t need to be told. She knew this wasn’t an option really. She had to face him. She braced herself and opened the door.
Unsurprisingly, he was waiting just outside. ‘Well? Were you going to tell me? Ever?’
He was furious. Absolutely furious. And it suddenly seemed to Sian that this reaction was totally irrational. It gave her courage. ‘Calm down. I was going to tell you, when the time felt right. And I really can’t talk about it now. There’s a birthday party going on.’
‘Oh? And when would that right time be? When he went to university?’
‘It was today actually. I was going to tell you today,’ she said defensively.
‘Oh? Odd choice! There’s a birthday party going on!’
‘I promised Fiona—’
‘Oh, so my mother knows, does she? And your mother knows, judging by how guilty she was looking just now. The whole bloody world knows I’m Rory’s father except me!’
He towered over her as she stood with her back against the cloakroom door. Suddenly Sian felt very foolish and very vulnerable. Everyone else had wisely, but unfortunately, stayed outside. There wouldn’t be any convenient interruption.
‘I didn’t tell Fiona, I promise,’ she said quietly. ‘She saw for herself. And I only told my mother just now, before we came.’
‘I’m still the last to know. I should have been the first. You should have told me years ago. Five years ago!’
‘I had no way of getting in touch with you. You know that. You’re being unreasonable.’ She was on firmer ground again.
‘I’m not being unreasonable! I find out I’m the father of a child that you’ve kept from me for five years! And I’m angry. Well, I have every right to be angry.’
‘No! Gus, I had no way of telling you. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. We decided that was for the best. You agreed.’
‘But you did see me again. You should have told me then.’