Friday
‘When you asked why I didn’t come back to St Aidan for so long, I said there were complications. I need you to know what they were.’
Two evenings later, summoned by another cryptic text, I’m back on Lando’s sofa, rubbing the softness of Martha’s ears as she pushes her back against my shin, and taking in Lando’s ominous opening line.
‘Great.’ I have no idea what’s coming, but he must sense that I’m going to talk about pets instead because he gets in first.
‘Martha’s here because Sav’s helping Erica. The Sardine Club coffee machine just arrived and they want to be up and running for Sunday’s festival.’ He pauses to examine his thumb. ‘I asked you to come because I want to tell you about something I did after Nemmie was born. It’s not something I’m proud off, but it happened, and it’s important I put it in context.’
He’s leaning back on a bold striped cushion, his expression so grave my heart has stopped.
‘Go on…’
‘All those years ago in Australia, when Sav told me you’d had a baby, I eventually told him we’d slept together. Months later he was back in St Aidan. I’d still heard nothing from you and he offered to take a DNA sample so I could find out if the baby was mine or not. And I knew at the time it was wrong, but for selfish reasons I agreed.’
My mouth has gone dry. ‘So you knew all along Nemmie was yours, and still didn’t come?’
Lando closes his eyes. ‘It wasn’t like that. He agreed to do the swab, but there were… stipulations.’
My mouth drops open. ‘You did a deal over this?’
Lando’s very pale. ‘You have to hear me out.’
Somehow I’m scrambling to my feet. ‘I can’t listen to anymore. I need to go.’
Lando is shaking his head. ‘If you leave halfway through, you’ll never understand.’
I sink back onto the sofa. ‘Taking swabs from someone else’s baby! How the hell did he even do that?’
Lando’s voice is unerringly quiet. ‘He did it while you were asleep.’
‘Is that even legal?’
Lando drags in a breath. ‘The agreement was that Sav would give me the swab and in return I agreed to stay away from St Aidan, and wait for you to contact me.’
I’m so annoyed I feel like I could burst. ‘Call Sav! I need to hear this from him too. It might as well be now.’
Lando’s thumbs fly over his phone, then he sits back and we wait in silence. Two minutes later the front door clicks and Sav breezes in.
He rubs his hands together. ‘If you want to know more about the DNA test, that was down to me, not Lando. It was all my idea.’
I’m shaking my head. ‘What were you thinking?’
Sav stands in the doorway and shuffles. ‘Lando needed to know where he stood, and you were saying nothing. I was very much stuck in the middle, trying to do the best for both of you. The test felt like an easy answer in the impossible circumstances you’d created.’
Lando carries on. ‘Sav’s one condition was that regardless of the result, I would stay away and let you get in touch with me when– or if– you felt ready.’
I’m struggling to take this in. ‘Since when do you do anything you’re told, Lando?’
Lando’s voice is low. ‘He was adamant I had to do that.’
Sav carries on. ‘You weren’t in the best place, Maeve. I wanted to protect you– at least until you were stronger. But Lando deserved to know one way or the other.’
I’m incredulous. ‘And you never thought to tell me what you’d agreed? That you’d left it to me to make contact.’
Sav looks rueful. ‘I should have done that, shouldn’t I?’ He raises his eyebrows. ‘I’m deeply sorry for all of it now. It’s ethically unforgivable. But at the time it felt like a simple way to help you both move forward.’
‘And the swab?’
