Louise reeled like she’d been slapped, and it took her a moment to recover before she looked at him searchingly. ‘Jack?’
A buzzing in her clutch distracted Caro and acted almost like an alarm, calling time on this whole scene. She’d heard enough. There was nothing to gain by prolonging the confrontation. She knew the truth, and while it hadn’t exactly set her free, she could at least close the lid on the box.
‘You know, Jack,’ she said, as she stood up. He’d never been a dad to her and he certainly didn’t deserve the title any more. ‘I’m going to leave you to explain it all.’ She turned back to Louise. ‘Why though? Why did you let him treat you like that? Why did you share him?’
Louise hesitated, then said sadly. ‘Because I love him. And when it came to a choice of having him some of the time or none of the time, I chose to take what happiness I could get.’
Caro felt the air leave her lungs as the urge to fight left her. What was the point?
‘I can see you’re as much of a victim in this as my mum, but now that you know the truth, I can promise you that any excuse he makes for himself is a lie, because what he did was indefensible. If you choose to believe him, you’re a fool. And you,’ she stared down the man she used to call her father, ‘you are a duplicitous prick, who was never worthy of my mum. Or me. I hope you rot in hell.’
With that, Caro stood up, and pointed her new boots and rapidly bruising toes in the direction of the door.
It was only when the cold air hit her, did she realise her eyes were stinging. She blinked back the tears. She would not cry one tear over that man. Instead, she leaned back against the wall, closed her eyes, waiting for her cardiovascular system to kick in and allow her to breathe again. The buzzing started in her bag again and she ignored it. It would be Todd, hysterical and demanding an update. She couldn’t trust herself to speak right now.
‘The shop. You were in my shop today.’
Caro opened her eyes to see Cammy standing in front of her. She’d barely registered that he’d just sat through all of that, on top of his own nightmare night. Poor guy. Now, he wasn’t angry, or accusing, he just seemed… concerned. Maybe curious. She cleared her throat, hoping the blockage would shift enough for her to speak.
‘I was. I’m sorry about that. I was trying to meet Lila, to… actually I don’t even know what I was trying to do. I suspected she was my sister and I thought if I saw her I’d know.’
‘I think you would have known straight away,’ he said. ‘There’s a definite resemblance.’
Caro laughed, and she hoped it didn’t come out as bitter. ‘Thank you, but I think I can safely say that I look nothing like Lila at all.’
Cammy was shaking his head as he looked at her, eyes full of sadness. ‘When she doesn’t have any make-up on, first thing in the morning, and her hair is tussled and wavy… I promise, there’s a resemblance. I didn’t spot it on the shop’s camera footage, but I see it now.’
The buzzing started again and this time, Caro decided to answer it quickly, then get him off the phone.
‘Todd, I…’
‘Caro, it’s Charge Nurse Sandra, on your mum’s ward.’
Caro had heard the expression about blood running cold, but she’d never actually experienced it until that moment.
‘I’m so sorry, but your mum’s taken a turn for the worse. I think you should come in.’
No. No. No. This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not tonight. She looked at her watch and saw that it was 10.30 p.m. The last train was gone.
‘But I’m in Glasgow. I’m going to have to wait for the first train. Will she make it through the night? Will she…’
‘Caro, I don’t know that she will. I’m so sorry.’
‘Nooooooooo.’ Caro’s cry was guttural, seeped in pain. ‘I’ll get there as soon as I can. Somehow. I’ll… I’ll… I’ll get a taxi. I’ll be there. Please keep her alive just a few hours longer. Please,’ she begged.
She hung up and immediately scanned the street.
‘Are you OK?’
Fuck, she’d forgotten he was even there. ‘I’m sorry, but I can’t talk now. My mum… That was the hospital.’ To her absolute mortification she felt tears start to flow down her face. ‘I need to get back to Aberdeen right now.’
‘I’ll take you,’ he said, instantly, making her stop and search his face for clues as to whether he was as crazy as that offerwould suggest. ‘I heard what you said. I’m cheaper than a taxi. I’ll take you,’ he repeated.
Caro tried to stem the tears with the palms of her hands. ‘Are you sure? What about Lila? Don’t you want to go find her?’
‘No,’ he said quite simply. ‘I think I just got dumped, so it’s fairly safe to say I don’t have plans.’ His expression suddenly changed. ‘Fuck, I don’t have a car either. Hang on.’
He dashed back inside the restaurant, then was back in seconds, brandishing a set of car keys. He pressed a button and the orange lights on a swanky big Range Rover across the street flashed on and off.
