Haneen types the text, actually typing for a longer time than the words I gave her. I wonder what else she might be telling him.
“I wouldn’t hold my breath,” she finally says handing the phone back to Evan. “He might not see it until tonight if he’s working. He can be very focussed.
That sounds like the man Mum described, at his books for hours.
But he proves us all wrong, not half an hour later, a text comes back. Evan doesn’t read it out to me, but he nods as if it was the answer he hoped to get.
“The professor will be back tonight or tomorrow morning.”
My shoulders relax, I hadn’t even realised how worried I’d been. How afraid.
He must have read the message, worked out who I was and decided to cut his trip short. Or maybe he was ready to come back anyway. Either way he didn’t deny all knowledge of me and instruct them to kick me out. That is the man I hoped he’d be. Not as my mother described, but the nice man who took responsibility and paid for his child.
He’s on his way, and now he knows it’s me. That takes care of the difficult ‘I’m your biological daughter’ introduction.
I start to get up and grab my coat from the back of the chair. “That’s great. Why don’t I go and book myself a room at the Pub you mentioned and maybe come back tomorrow—”
“I don’t think you need to do that.” Evan stops me. “If you’re family, you should stay here.”
Stay here?
No.
It’s one thing to turn up unannounced, quite another to hang around like a stalker. I’d also be making things awkward for him here,. If they call him the professor instead of just William or Will, that surely means they’re not that close. My accepting their invitation would put him under obligation to them; he might not appreciate that.
“Thank you but there’s no need. If the pub has vacancies, I can stay there. I have my own car anyway.”
My manner, or my voice, must tell them something.
Haneen walks back to the table, her eyes never leaving my face. Her expression kind and … perceptive. Laying a gentle hand over mine she says, “it’s okay, Leonie. Really, don’t worry. You are very welcome to stay. I’d have offered you a room earlier. We just wanted to double check with the professor first.”
So much for my poker face.
She sits down, next to Evan. “And you don’t have to tell us anything more.” He, too, nods. “It’s your business, yours alone.”
My hands fidget with the hem of my jumper. I make them stop. “It’s just a very complicated situation.”
“Families are always complicated,” Haneen says with a small smile. “Both Evan and I could write chapters about our complicated families.”
Something about these two people loosens my tongue: or perhaps it’s the warmth of the kitchen and the comfort of buttered toast and tea.
“I’ve been a bit hasty and drove up on a whim.” I try to explain. “My next job starts at the end of November. A Christmas panto tour ofAladdin. Which means we’ll be travelling around the country. My flatmate had to give up her flat, and I didn’t want to stay with my mum. It seemed like the perfect time for a little road trip.”
This is what I mean. Even on the day I thought I was taking charge of my life, I’ve ended up a damsel in distress needing help with everything from direction to accommodation. I hide my face behind the third mug of tea and gulp down the hot drink in the hope it’ll reinforce my confidence.
“Leonie,” Haneen says when I finally lower the empty mug down to the table. “There’s no need to feel beholden.”
Either she’s very perceptive, or my face is very easy to read. And I call myself an actress!
“If you think you’re putting us out, stop worrying. We have lots of rooms here.”
“Actually, you’d be helping,” Evan takes up the explanation “We might have a very big house, but as you can see, it’s very old and mostly uninhabitable. There are a few rooms in this wing.” He glances at the ceiling to indicate the rooms are upstairs. “They’re pretty dirty. If you’re willing to clean one of them and furnish it, you can consider it a fair exchange. I’ll get, Wyn to help you. He’s one of our teenagers and knows where everything is. He’ll show you where to find the store furniture.”
“Choose the room with the blue lady.” Haneen gives me an encouraging smile. “It’s nearest to the good bathroom.”
Chapter Seven
The room with the blue lady is actually a long room with high ceilings and bay windows that look down on the front entrance where my car is parked. The blue lady is actually a stained-glass panel over the door showing a lady is a ruffled turquoise gown reclining on pale green cushions.
