Page 71 of Good Sisters

‘No!’ Sophie giggled.

‘Yes. And she wrote, “This came from your son’s head. Please deal with the problem.”’

We all cracked up laughing.

‘That’s my kind of woman,’ I said.

‘What did the parents do?’ Sophie asked.

Julie rolled her eyes. ‘They tried to have the teacher sacked for shaming their child, emotional abuse, trauma, blah blah blah, but the headmistress stuck by her.’

‘Good for her,’ I said.

Sophie and Julie ordered drinks and I ordered a second glass of wine.

‘So what’s going on?’ Julie cut to the chase.

‘I’ve found him.’

‘Who?’ Sophie asked.

‘You’ve met someone.’ Julie beamed. ‘I’m so happy for you, Louise, you deserve it.’

‘No. I’ve found Clara’s dad.’

They gasped.

‘What … when … I mean …’ Julie spluttered.

‘Tell us everything,’ Sophie said.

I filled them in on what I knew about Marco.

Julie held my hand. ‘Oh, my God, Louise, this is huge.’

I nodded. ‘I know.’

‘So what are you going to do next?’ Sophie asked. ‘Have you decided?’

‘You have to meet him before you say anything to Clara,’ Julie said.

‘Obviously. I guess I’ll have to visit him. Check out if he’s normal, nice, worth it, whatever.’

‘This is a lot to take in,’ Julie said gently.

‘Yeah, it is.’ I felt my voice quiver. The emotion I’d held back all day was now surfacing. It was huge. It was potentially life-changing. If he was open to knowing Clara, it would change everything. If he wasn’t … well, I’d have to pretend he was dead and hope to God that Clara accepted it. I’d probably have to buy a plot and get a fake headstone erected. Was that even possible? My head throbbed.

‘First of all, are you a hundred per cent sure it’s him?’ Sophie asked.

‘The DNA match is ninety-nine point nine per cent and then I saw his photo. She has his nose.’

Clara had an upturned nose. It was very cute but no one inour family had one. It was unusual and distinctive. After talking to Benedict, I still had a sliver of doubt in my mind, but when I saw Marco’s photo, I knew he was Clara’s dad.

‘Can we see him?’ Julie asked.

I pulled up the photos of him on my phone and showed my sisters. They leaned in eagerly.

Silence.

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