Vic shook her head. ‘Jesus Christ, will you all stop being so maudlin? I’ve had a bump on the head, which people may say Ineeded anyway, to knock some sense into me.’ Orla was the only one to laugh. ‘But I feel so loved and blessed that you’ve all come to me like this.’
‘Why wouldn’t we?’ Mandy asked. ‘We love you so much.’
‘Did you let Danny know?’ Vic looked at Joti.
‘Yes, I got the number of the gallery from Directory Enquiries and phoned him whilst you were out.’ Joti looked at her phone to see how much battery she had left. ‘He sends his love and said to give him a progress report when you’re ready.’
‘He sounds lovely, Vic. Is there a chance of romance?’ Kath’s face brightened.
‘No, Mum. We are just good friends.’ Vic put her hand to her elbow that was now feeling sore. ‘Is the cyclist who hit me OK?’
‘Yes, she’s fine. She was mortified, but I ensured her it wasn’t her fault, and she gave me her number to call her later, too,’ Joti added. ‘What I want to know is, why did you shoot off so fast?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Vic lied, as the memory of Joti’s words about Jake flashed through her mind. She let out a little groan. ‘Thanks so much for coming, all of you, but do you mind if I have five minutes with Mum before you all head off? I’m suddenly feeling really quite tired.’
Orla stood up. ‘Actually, I think me and Mand will head off now. It’s Sunday and the roads out of here will get busy later. I’ve got an early start tomorrow.’
‘Yes, and I need to wee all the time, now I’m due to drop. And I can’t be doing it on the hard shoulder in my condition,’ Mandy added.
‘No, you fecking can’t.’ Orla kept her face straight. ‘Not on my watch, anyway.’
‘Too much information,’ Albie laughed, assisting the heavily pregnant woman up from her chair.
‘And too many visitors.’ A jovial nurse popped her head around the curtain.
‘They are going. Sorry,’ Vic piped up, sticking her tongue out childishly as the nurse walked away.
‘Thanks so much for coming, and I’ll call you when I’m back at the flat. OK?’ Vic blew her girls a kiss.
Joti smiled. ‘I can see it from both sides now – about visitors, I mean.’
‘I’ll wait with Joti in the café whilst you talk to Mum.’ Albie stood up, taking Joti’s hand and squeezing it. ‘I can give you a lift home too, babe, if that works.’
She squeezed it back, lovingly. ‘Do you want anything, Vic?’
‘No. I’m all right, thanks.’
Vic looked at her mum, who was clearly a different woman from the woman of six months ago. Her skin was brighter, her hair dried beautifully in its neat new style. She had dropped at least a stone. But more importantly than all thesenewpositives, she was back to her old self.
‘What is it, love?’ Kath Sharpe took her daughter’s hand.
‘Firstly, I am so proud of you, Mum, and I can’t believe you got sober for me.’ Vic’s voice cracked.
‘I did it for all of us – myself included.’ Kath sniffed loudly. ‘I wasn’t happy. For years and years. And now I have a purpose. Which is not only you, might I add – or Albie.’
‘Jake, too,’ Vic replied knowingly.
Kath suddenly looked at peace. ‘Yes, Jake, too.’
‘Mum.’ Kath nodded at her daughter. ‘I need to ask you something serious.’
‘Go on, love.’
‘Is Albie Jake’s son?’
Kath let out a little laugh, and then looked to the ceiling for a second. She took a deep breath and faced her daughter. ‘No. Your father always thought that – and, as you know, cruelly let it be known to the world. Well, our little world, anyway.Thankfully, our Albie was too young to understand. But he’s a chip off the old block all right, your brother.’ Kath paused. ‘In fact, you’re so much more like Jake in temperament and, well, if you look closely, his eyes and nose are pretty similar to yours too.’
‘No!’ Victoria’s eyes widened. ‘No way! Why didn’t either of you tell me?’
