‘Don’t, Callie.’ Jason buried his face in his hands.
‘Don’t what? Tell you the truth? You’ve been a stranger to the truth, Jason, but your running off meant that I got very well acquainted with it. The truth of having no money, the truth of not knowing what to tell my broken-hearted daughter who had to leave her school and her home and her friends. The truth of being a pariah. Was it nice in Spain, by the way? And what’s her name, your woman? The one you came home with?’
He looked up finally. ‘When did you get this hard?’ he said.
Callie laughed. ‘I’m not hard, Jason. I’m simply telling you the truth. You didn’t get caught coming to see us, you got caught coming home with another woman to go to her mother’s funeral. You can see why I might have a problem with that.’
‘I know I made mistakes, but I left you something, just one account,’ said Jason, desperately.
Callie pushed away from the table in disgust. ‘I don’t want to touch your dirty money,’ she said. ‘I don’t care how poor we are, we’ll manage.’
‘No,’ he said, ‘it’s clean, it really is clean. I set it up a long time ago for Poppy and you. That detective inspector guy, he can talk to my accountant, it’s clean money. It’s for you two.’
Callie got up from the table. ‘Yeah, right,’ she said. ‘Clean money and Jason Reynolds aren’t two phrases that go well together. And the cheque’s in the post too, right? Bye Jason,’ she said. ‘I’m sure I’ll see you at the trial. I imagine I’ll have to be there.’ And she turned and walked away without looking back.
At the gate, Brenda was waiting for her.
‘I wish you’d let me come,’ she said.
Callie fell into her friend’s arms and let the tears flow, finally. ‘I needed to toughen myself up before I saw him.’
‘Coffee or tea, or wine?’
Callie laughed. ‘Tea, I think.’
They drove out towards Brenda’s and stopped at a small coffee shop.
‘I thought my house may be a bit dodgy because the press might think you’d be there in order to see Jason.’
‘I got an offer of another place to stay,’ remarked Callie. ‘Sam, that charity boss woman who sprang into action when theSunday Newscame to Ballyglen, she offered. She’s been texting. She’s a lovely woman. Actually,’ she paused because she still couldn’t believe it herself, ‘her baby was born on her fortieth birthday, which was the same day as my fiftieth.’
‘Wow. Big night.’
‘I know. And Ginger, the reporter, she was thirty that same day. How’s that for coincidences?’
‘No such thing as coincidences,’ said Brenda sagely. ‘In some weird way, it all links up. I almost can’t believe that the reporter girl decided not to reveal you were there,’ she went on. ‘As my mother used to say:what’s rare is wonderful. So, you going to stay with Sam?’
‘Not tonight, I’m going home.’
Brenda’s eyes filled with tears then. Callie wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen Brenda cry.
‘I’m so glad you’re calling it home,’ she said, finding a paper napkin and wiping her eyes lest anyone spot the tears. ‘I miss you, though.’
‘You could come for a visit.’
Brenda nodded. ‘Definitely. Now, tell me about Poppy and all the goings-on, and really, you and Ricky are just friends ...?’
Callie laughed. ‘Just friends.’
On the train home, Callie rang Poppy to tell her it was all OK and she’d be home soon. Then she took advantage of the time to text everyone else. Finally, she did something she’d been meaning to do for ages: she texted Ginger Reilly, as well as Sam.
I was in Dublin today, girls, but I couldn’t meet up. But next time, OK? We’re the three amigos – three women with the same birthday. It must mean something, right?xxx Callie
Sam
India looked beautiful in her christening robes and she loved having her photo taken.
‘Little poppet,’ said Sam’s father, as he took what felt like the millionth shot of his fourth granddaughter who was being held by her granny Vera with adoration.
