‘I’ll tell you later,’ Tara said. ‘How about Dad gives us a tour while you finish with those?’
The house was really nice – nineteenth century and packed full of character – and, by the time Tim had finished showing us round, Kirsten had a pot of tea ready.
‘We have a question for you, Tara,’ she said, once we all had a drink poured. ‘We love this area. The pace of life is much better after the buzz and stress of living and working in London and, as I said earlier, the sea air has been so good for me but it doesn’t make sense paying rent when we could buy a place of our own. How would you feel about us settling here permanently?’
Tara gasped. ‘You’re serious? That would be fantastic.’
‘We hoped you’d feel that way,’ Tim said, ‘especially as we’ve found a house we love but it’s closer to you than this place is. We viewed it yesterday but we wouldn’t consider putting an offer in unless we knew you were definitely comfortable with us settling here.’
‘I’d be delighted to have you settle here. Whereabouts?’
‘Little Sandby,’ Kirsten said. ‘I believe that’s close to your parents, Jed?’
‘It’s the next village along. My colleague, Anastasia, lives there. It’s a really nice village.’
Tim passed us an iPad showing the property listing.
‘I know that house! It’s got an unusual name – Whispering Breezes or something like that.’
‘Whispering Winds,’ Kirsten said.
‘That’s it! I went there once as a kid – can’t remember why. It’s got a stunning sea view but I think it’s been empty for a good few years.’
Tim nodded. ‘The owner died and there was a family dispute over the estate but it finally got resolved last year. It needs a major refurb but we can sit tight here while that gets done.’
‘The view’s what sold it to me,’ Kirsten said. ‘I stood by the window in the master bedroom looking out at the sea and I forgave the orange kitchen and avocado bathroom because that view made my heart sing.’
‘I can see the potential,’ Tara said as we scrolled through the photographs and checked out the floor plan. ‘And I think that view would have sold it to me too. Get that offer in first thing tomorrow with my blessing.’
She passed me her mug so she could hug her parents. When she sat back down beside me, I could see the tears glistening in her eyes and I knew how much it meant to her to have them settling nearby and even better that they’d chosen a house on the outskirts of Whitsborough Bay rather than Whitby.
The conversation around what Kirsten and Tim were thinking of doing to the house continued over lunch. Discussing her parents’ potential new home could well escalate a conversationabout our own living arrangements but if things happened out of order, so be it. It didn’t mean I had to rush my other plans.
After we’d eaten, Tim said he’d make coffees so the rest of us moved into the lounge.
‘I hate to put a dampener on things,’ Tim said after he’d handed out the drinks a little later, ‘but I’m afraid it’s a good news, bad news day. Before you panic, Tara, your mum’s fine and so am I.’
Beside me, Tara tensed. ‘I’m guessing the bad news is Leanne-shaped.’
Tim nodded. ‘She keeps ringing and we haven’t answered but she’s left several messages. She wants to meet up with us – claims she’s a changed person ready to make amends but the key word there isclaims. We’ve heard it all before so we’ve messaged her with a no, although…’ He glanced at Kirsten.
‘I’m struggling with that decision,’ she admitted. ‘She sounds so sincere and I can’t help wondering if us cutting her off completely has been the wake-up call she needed and shehasfinally got her act together.’
‘Which I understand,’ Tim said, ‘and I want to believe that’s the case but we’ve been down this road so many times and it only ends in heartbreak.’
Kirsten sighed heavily and it was clear looking from one troubled face to the other how great a toll this was taking on them – not ideal when they’d just been saying how much they were enjoying the stress-free life away from London.
‘A no is so hard,’ she said, ‘but I know deep down that it’s the right thing to do and I have to stay strong.’
I placed my hand over Tara’s and she entwined her fingers with mine, squeezing tightly as she spoke.
‘I’ll reiterate what I said to you bothbefore. Sheisyour daughter so I do understand how hard this is for you and I promise I won’t judge you or push you away if you do decide to meet with her and let her back into your lives. But I cannot emphasise enough that I want nothing to do with her ever again. I’m not asking you to choose between us. You can have us both in your lives if that’s what you want but she’s not worming her way back into mine. I know it sounds harsh but there are some things so despicable that they can never be forgiven.’
Tara’s words were calm and considered but I could feel her shaking. I wished I could gather her in my arms and tell her it would be all right, but I didn’t want to draw attention to how hard she was evidently finding this. And I knew why because I knew the full story and Kirsten and Tim didn’t.
‘We’d never expect you to, sweetheart,’ Kirsten said. ‘To be completely transparent, the thought of letting her back into our lives makes me feel sick to the stomach.’
There’s your answer, then. Trust your gut and never let that scheming, selfish, depraved little liar have another second of your time and, instead, focus all your love and attention on the person who’s kind, thoughtful, selfless and honest.But I didn’t feel it was my place to barge in and share my opinion on such a delicate family matter. Tara had only just let her parents back into her life and there was no way I was going to say or do anything to jeopardise that relationship.
