Page 92 of Heart of The Night

Dad sighed deeply. ‘And he didn’t tell you about this before?’

I gulped. ‘He only found out about a week ago.’

‘And why didn’t he tell you then?’

I inhaled sharply, fighting the urge to dissolve into sobs at his unforgiving tone. ‘He wanted to wait until he had the result.’

Mum gave Dad a stern look. ‘It hardly matters, Jamie. It wouldn’t have changed anything if he’d told her straight away.’

‘But it would’ve. It would’ve shown he’s reliable. Hiding something like this…’

I grimaced, setting my mug down. ‘Dad, he thought he was protecting me. He didn’t want me to stress over it until he knew for sure.’

‘I understand that, Cara, but I can’t say I’m impressed. How can you trust he won’t keep other things from you in the future, believing it’s for your protection?’

I brought my hands to my face, shaking my head. The image of William, weeping with guilt and despair, flashed in my mind.

‘He won’t,’ I said, struggling to keep my voice steady. ‘After my reaction, I’m sure he’s learned his lesson.’

‘Well, I can only hope you’re right.’

‘Dad, please,’ I said, meeting his eyes. ‘Don’t hold this against him. Just think of how hard this must be for him. I would’ve struggled with knowing what to do, too.’

‘I agree with Cara,’ Mum said firmly. ‘William was, and is, in an exceptionally tricky situation. Yes, he messed up by not telling her straight away, but we should give him a chance to prove himself – show that it was a one-time mistake, not who he is.’

I looked at Mum, huffing with gratitude and relief. ‘Thank you.’

She reached out, placing a comforting hand over mine. ‘Oh, love, this is such a mess. I’m so sorry.’

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. ‘I don’t know what to do,’ I said, my gaze flickering between them. I needed their guidance, their wisdom, to navigate this storm. ‘I love him, but this… It’s all so much.’

Dad walked over and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. ‘You don’t have to decide anything right now. Take your time, let things settle a bit.’

I nodded, absentmindedly running my thumb across the edge of my mug. ‘I just feel so bad for him. He… he’s in so much pain right now, and I know I have the power to take it away – I want to take it away – but…’ I felt a tear slip down my cheek, and Dad reached out to wipe it away. I gave him a small smile, appreciating the loving gesture.

‘Cara, you’re only twenty-three,’ Mum said softly. ‘Of course you’re conflicted. Becoming a stepmother at such a young age… Many would be averse to that idea, even when they’re older.’

I looked up, searching her eyes. ‘What would you have done?’

She cast a glance at Dad, her brows creasing, and a silence filled the room. Eventually, she sighed and said, ‘It’s hard to say, but I think I would have tried to make things work.’

My heart throbbed. ‘Really?’

She nodded. I looked up at Dad, seeing the affection that spilled from his features as he stared at Mum.

‘The right person is never completely perfect,’ Mum murmured and took a sip of her tea. ‘As you get older, people come with more and more baggage from past experiences. Even you will be carrying some baggage down the line. What you need to figure out is whether William is worth it – if you love him enough to handle his baggage.’

‘Your mum’s right.’ Dad gently squeezed my shoulders. ‘And for what it’s worth, Aunt Maddie became a stepmother when she was twenty-five,’ he said, referring to his elder sister. ‘And she’s still happily married. It wasn’t easy for her at first, but she made it work.’

I tried to absorb what they were saying. Aunt Maddie had always seemed so content, and her stepchildren – whom I had always considered as close as real cousins – clearly loved her. But could I do the same?

‘So, if the child turns out to be Will’s, you think I should give it a try?’ I asked, looking between them.

They exchanged a glance, both frowning slightly.

‘You’ll need to decide that for yourself, Cara,’ Dad said, pulling out the empty chair beside me and sitting down.

‘What we can say,’ Mum chipped in, ‘is that if you really love him, you might be glad you didn’t let him go.’

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