“I wish I could remember that.” Abby pondered. “Did I ever go to a party with balloons? I had this weird flashback when we were setting up for a party and I didn’t understand it, but now I’m wondering.”
“It could have been your fourth birthday party. The staff filled the place with balloons for you. It was a few weeks before we moved to Boston.”
It was odd to think she had ties to the hotel that went right back to childhood. Were those ties the reason she was feeling disappointment at the thought of going back to her old life?
No. She knew it was more complicated than that.
“I’m tired,” her mother said. “I hate admitting it, but I really am tired.”
“After all that stress and emotion it’s hardly surprising. You need to sleep.” Abby stood up. “I’ll take you back to the hotel.”
Her mother stood up, too. “You need to get back to work.You’re needed there and it isn’t fair on Evie that I’ve taken you away.”
“We can have dinner later? We can eat in the restaurant if you like.”
“Not tonight. I have paperwork to catch up on, and there’s something I need to do. I hope you’re not offended.”
“Of course not.” She hesitated. Normally at this point she would back off and respect her mother’s wish for privacy, but the last few hours had changed everything. “I know you keep saying that you’re fine, but this is a lot to deal with. Telling me must have been hard. I want you to know that you can talk to me, anytime. About anything.” She held her breath, nervous of the reaction her words might elicit, but her mother’s expression softened.
“Thank you.”
“I’m serious. You’ve protected me all your life, but I’m an adult now. You don’t need to protect me anymore. These are such deeply personal things there probably aren’t many people you can share your feelings with. I want you to know that you can share them with me.” She saw her mother’s eyes glisten.
“I’ll remember that.” Her mother took her hand. “I’m not the only one who has had an emotional day. You have, too. Are you sureyou’reall right?”
Her mother rarely asked her that, but in the last few hours it felt as if their whole relationship had shifted.
“Yes, I am. I’m glad I know it all.” And she needed to process it. Was it wrong that she felt a little relieved that her mother wanted to be by herself this evening? It would give Abby the space she needed to think through everything that had happened.
A chance to get her head around the fact she’d be leaving Cornwall soon.
Instead of returning to the harbour, they took the footpath that led across the fields to the hotel.
Abby glanced at her mother. There was something softer about her. Something different.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay this evening?”
“Definitely.” They’d reached the hotel and she surprised Abby by stepping forward and giving her a hug. In public.
Abby hugged her back, her throat thickening. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too. You’ve been the most important thing in my life since the moment you were born. Anyway, that’s more than enough sentiment for one day. It’s emotionally exhausting and I’m out of practice.” Her mother stepped back but there was a sparkle in her eyes. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a proper look at my first hotel. It has been a while.”
“Of course. Call if you need me.”
Abby watched as her mother walked away from her and was surprised again when she turned and gave a small wave.
It had been an emotional day, that was true, but it was worth it to feel this new level of connection with her mother.
21
Alexandra
She was exhausted but her brain was racing and she knew there was no way she’d sleep, so she lay on the bed, her mind travelling back to the beginning.
There was a delicious irony to the fact that she was staying in a room she’d once cleaned, although it was barely recognisable from those days so long ago.
As she’d scrubbed bathrooms, changed bed linen, filled bowls with fruit and vases with flowers, it had seemed to her that some people had everything while others had nothing and it made no sense. She’d started looking at the guests with fevered curiosity, wondering what they did to earn the money that allowed them to spend a week in a sea view suite ordering room service and expensive bottles of wine. Mostly she’d envied the families who spent whole weeks together and enjoyed each other’s company.
