‘It’s a game about what happens,’ Elsie explained. ‘You write a boy’s name and fold it over, then you pass it on.’
The little girl carried on with her commentary, but Vee was still watching Finn. He was making Beryl and Winnie laugh with a story about how Cassie had showed him how to play the game at one of their cocktail parties and he’d managed to work all the rude words he knew into it, thoroughly embarrassing Marissa in front of her very staid boss.
‘Consequences,’ she said to Rick. ‘Everything we do has them.’
‘But luckily, although it cost you a lot in heartache – yes, I know it did even though you haven’t said as much to me – luckily, the results of what you did over twenty years ago are amazing.’
Vee didn’t answer because, above the clamour, she’d just heard the doorbell. ‘I’ll get it,’ she shouted to Beryl, when she saw that their hostess had heard it too. She wove her way through the group of friends who were settling down to write on their bits of paper. When she reached the door, she could see a shadowy figure through the frosted glass. She opened the door. There on the step stood a man of medium build, although he somehow gave the impression of strength. He was wearing a long black coat and a black fedora and had a short grey beard and moustache. Although his eyes were surrounded by fine wrinkles and laugh lines, they were the brightest blue Vee had ever seen.
‘Hello,’ the man said, politely doffing his hat. ‘I know this is going to sound very peculiar for someone of my age, but my name’s Benjamin Gale and I’m looking for my mother.’
41
TUESDAY, 6 JANUARY
Vee sat in front of glowing flames, toasting her toes and reflecting on what a brilliant investment the log burner had been. Finn had been determined there should be a real fire in Dragonfly Cottage, and the buying and installing of it was a very generous gift from Cassie and Marissa. In Vee’s opinion, it was a present given in relief and gratitude that Finn was still living with them in Boston, although since his first visit to see Vee, he’d been in constant touch by email and the occasional long phone call.
‘You must have known I’d never try to take your boy away from you,’ Vee said, when she’d phoned to thank them for their generosity. Cassie hadn’t given her a straight answer to that question, so Vee had to assume that her sister had been more than a little anxious when Finn had come back from his trip to Britain waxing lyrical about the cute village, the awesome people he’d met there and, of course, his amazing birth mother.
Christmas had been a subdued affair for Vee. Finn had elected to stay in Boston, whereas the Saga Louts, plus their trio of male attendants, had been in Tenerife, ‘catching some winter rays’, as Maurice put it. Rick decided he really should accept his ex’s invitation to spend the festive period with his boys in Germany. Apparently, her latest relationship had gone pear-shaped, and she needed the support of the only man she could truly trust.
Vee seethed at this remark when Rick had reported it to her. ‘Shame she didn’t trust you enough to stay here then,’ she said. Rick hadn’t answered, and ever since he’d left, Vee had wished she’d never made that remark. Their friendship was still on slightly icy ground, it seemed. Neither of them wanted to discuss their joint past but equally, nor could they seem to move on without at least trying to clear the air. Matters hadn’t been helped by Rick being offered a month’s work in Cornwall, helping to make a friend’s holiday cottage into a dream home by the sea. This had extended to an even longer period, in the nature of most such jobs. Rick had hardly been in Willowbrook since the day of Beryl’s fuddle and Vee missed him more than she cared to admit. She was convinced that Stacey wanted to get her claws back into her ex and persuade him to relocate to Germany. The thought of this was unbelievably depressing.
Vee made her mind up when everyone departed for their various Christmases that she wouldn’t let herself be gloomy but was nevertheless relieved to be invited to spend the day with Sam and Elsie. In the event, the two of them had come to Dragonfly Cottage early on Christmas morning and between them they’d created a day that suited them all.
‘This has been brilliant,’ Sam said as he persuaded Elsie that it was finally time to go home. ‘I’m glad you talked us into having Christmas here instead of you spending the day at our flat, Vee. Having a roaring log fire’s great at this time of year and Elsie’s loved having a bit more space to play. Not to mention a TV that doesn’t go on the blink every five minutes.’
‘Yes, I promised youThe Grinchwas the best film ever, and I was right,’ said Elsie. ‘And I also told you that all that chocolate wouldn’t make me sick. Actually, now I do feel a bit… um…’
‘I think we’d better go,’ said Sam hastily. ‘Thanks so much, Vee. This was the best day ever. Keep me posted about what’s going on with Benjamin Gale and the big reunion. Can’t wait to find out how it all goes.’
Of course, even before Christmas had happened, easily the most dramatic event of recent times had been the arrival of Ben at Beryl’s house. When Vee had brought him inside and given him a much-needed whisky, he’d told them all that he’d seen a small ad in theGuardian, asking if anyone knew the whereabouts of a baby boy who’d been adopted in the area of Meadowthorpe. It had given Ben’s exact date of birth, and he knew he’d come from roughly that area.
‘The timing was critical,’ Ben said. ‘My adoptive father died some time ago, but my mum only passed away last month. Until now I’ve had no desire to trace my birth mother because I was grateful for a good life, but the ad triggered something in me, and I couldn’t get it out of my head.’
‘But how did you end up at Beryl’s house?’ Vee asked, mystified. ‘Yolanda – that’s your real mum – never lived here and she was only next door at mine for part of her life.’
‘Ah, now that was where I had a stroke of luck,’ said Ben. ‘Whoever it was who placed the appeal gave this address, so I came straight here before I could have a chance to talk myself out of it. So which one of you lovely ladies is my mother?’
‘It’s just like that film,’ whispered Winnie. ‘The one with Pierce Brosnan in it.’
‘GoldenEye?’ said Frank. ‘I do love a good James Bond story.’
‘No, not that one. The one with Julie Walters too.’
‘Educating Rita?’ suggested Anthea. ‘An excellent movie.’
‘No.Youknow; the Meryl Streep one.’
‘Kramer vs Kramer?’
Vee’s head was spinning by this time. ‘I think Winnie meansMamma Mia,’ she said. ‘And I’m sorry to disappoint you, Ben, but your mother isn’t any of the women here. Let me explain.’
It had taken a while for all the details to be revealed, but it finally transpired that Beryl was the one who’d contacted theGuardian. Tallulah had taken her neighbour into her confidence about the adoption of Yolanda’s baby years ago, and once back from France, after having seen Yolanda and with her memory well and truly jogged, Beryl had decided to do her very best to get the estranged parties back together. If Finn and Vee could do it, so could Yolanda and her mystery son.
Vee got up from her comfortable fireside chair. It was time she had a final check around the house to make sure everything was ready for her visitors, because she was aiming to go out and leave Yolanda to her own devices as soon as she was settled. Vee planned to take Finn with her to the church this afternoon because today was the Feast of the Epiphany, a big moment in the church calendar, and Reverend Bev was insistent that her friends should help her to celebrate this important date in style with an extra midweek service and tea and cake afterwards.
At this very moment, Rick was at the airport collecting Yolanda, who had at last managed to organise enough neighbours to look after her hens and, of course, Ferdinand. Finn, who had requested a proper Christmas dinner during his visit, British-style, was arriving by taxi shortly too, having flown to a different airport. The plan was to provide the opportunity for Yolanda and Ben, who even now should be on his way to Willowbrook, to meet privately at Dragonfly Cottage while the rest of the group joined Rev Bev.
