Page 30 of The Stolen Child

He stood and looked at Lily with such longing it made her shiver. ‘I know this doesn’t make sense. And I know how crazy I sound. But I believe that I’m your brother. I truly do. From in here.’ He thumped his gut. Then he reached up and touched his heart. ‘And in here too. I’ll go, because I know I’ve given you a shock, but, please, Lily, I beg of you. Please think about what I’ve said. Allow yourself to acknowledge the possibility that I’m right.’

Lily looked into his eyes, and, try as she might, she could not look away. For a few moments, the rest of the world disappeared, and it was just the two of them. She swallowed rapidly, wrapping her arms round her body, until he walked out of the room with one last shy glance in her direction.

And only when she heard the front door shut did she allow herself to think the unthinkable.

What if he was right? What if his mom had crept into their cabin forty years ago, and stolen Zach? Could that man be her long-lost brother Robert?

NOW

July 2023

Lily

Phibsborough, Dublin

Lily felt as if she was on the edge of a cliff, and every time Zach had looked at her, his eyes pushed her closer to a fall. Her skin felt clammy, and her body ached as if she was coming down with the flu. She ran to the kitchen, turned the tap on and splashed cold water onto her face. It made her mascara run, and the black inky make-up stung her eyes. She grabbed a tea towel and wiped her face clean.

What should she do?

She’d call her husband. He’d know what to do.

Pick up, please, Lily thought as she called his mobile, but it rang without answer. Should she leave a voicemail?

‘Can’t talk. All okay?’ Michael’s voice asked breathlessly as she was about to hang up.

Lily felt a sob escape. She took a deep breath, knowing she would only scare Michael if she began to cry. ‘Ben is fine. But I need you to come home.’

‘What’s wrong?’ His voice was curt. He could never handle Lily or Ben being sick, and worry made him seem cold and unfeeling when it was the opposite of how he felt.

‘I can’t tell you on the phone, but I need you here, please.’

Michael didn’t waste further time asking questions, and she could not have loved him more. He said so calmly that she instantly felt a weight lift from her shoulders, ‘I’m on my way. I love you.’

While waiting for her husband to get home, Lily cancelled and rescheduled the rest of her appointments that afternoon. She knew it would be impossible to give herself entirely to her clients after the bombshell she’d had thrown at her. And she respected them and their time too much to see them when her head was not on straight.

Once her day was clear from all obligations, she made a pot of coffee. Michael arrived as she plunged the filter. Relief flooded his face when he saw that she was – physically, at least – in one piece. Shrugging his jacket off, he moved quickly to her side and took her in his arms. She allowed herself a moment to take solace from this embrace. Touch had always been their love language. Then she took his hand and led him to their kitchen table, pouring the coffee into two mugs.

How often had they sat in this spot to discuss their lives’ essential and mundane moments? They held weekly diary scheduling sessions, they debated niggles over Ben missing a significant milestone – he sure took his time at walking – they worried about their budget as they discussed if they could afford a holiday. And, of course, they often spoke about their families too.

About Robert.

Well, once again, they were about to discuss him . . . but she was pretty sure Michael would never guess in what context.

‘Okay, tell me what’s going on,’ Michael said once they’d both taken their first sip of coffee.

‘I took a new client on recently. An American called Zach Brady.’

Michael raised his eyebrows in surprise. Lily never divulged information about her work.

‘At our session this morning, Zach told me that he believes he is Robert.’

Lily watched Michael’s face register shock, then surprise, then back to shock again as he whispered her words to himself.

‘That face. That’s how I felt,’ Lily said, waving a finger in her husband’s direction.

‘How . . . w-what . . .’ Michael stammered. His hand reached over to cup hers, the warmth steadying her, giving her the strength to continue.

‘Zach said he watched Dad’s interview on IrelandAM. And when he saw Robert’s photograph, he couldn’t believe his eyes. One sec.’ She reached behind the countertop to retrieve the photographs Zach had given her earlier. ‘These are of Zach when he was three years old.’