Page 26 of Wishes & Waves at the Cornish Bakery
‘No problem. Bye.’
Pulling the mobile from her ear, Tilly checked the screen. It was blank. He’d gone. But she had an address. She had an address! Swallowing, she placed her hand next to her other one on the work surface and took a deep breath in. This could be it. If his parents still lived there... or siblings...
After years of waiting, she suddenly felt the urge to run to Green Gardens Close and hammer the door down. She didn’twant to wait any longer. Not another minute. Pulling the kitchen door open again, she stood there, suddenly frozen to the spot.
Twisting around, Isaac’s face filled with concern as he jumped up and walked towards her. ‘Is everything okay?’
‘It was Mo from the farm. He spoke to someone called Greg, and it turns out my dad used to work for him, too. I’ve got the address of where he used to live. Of where he thinks my dad used to live.’ Tilly ran her fingers through her hair and tugged. She was so close to the answers to the questions she’d had literally her whole life.
‘What’s the address?’ Isaac cupped her elbow.
‘64 Green Gardens.’ Tilly slumped her shoulders. ‘I forgot to ask if it was an address in Penworth Bay. I’m guessing it is, as Liz thought he was from the bay, but...’
‘It is. It’s up the hill past the pub. Right at the top and to the right is Green Gardens Close.’ Terry nodded.
‘Right.’ Tilly nodded back, suddenly unsure of what to do. Did she just turn up there? Even if his parents were still living there, it would be a huge shock to come face to face with a granddaughter they never knew existed. Or should she find out their phone number? Ring them? Or send a letter, maybe? Would that be kinder? Easier for all involved?
‘What are you waiting for then?’ Terry gripped the arm of the sofa and pulled himself to standing. ‘Get off with you both. Go and track down your family. I’ll find those numbers just in case, but this could be the clue that leads you to them.’
‘I don’t know if I can,’ Tilly whispered, looking at her hands as she clasped them together. ‘What if they don’t like me? What if they don’t believe me? They don’t even know I exist.’
Terry walked towards them, the foot of his injured leg dragging on the floor as he made his way across the room. Once he was standing in front of her, Isaac stepped aside, and Terry placed his hands on her shoulders. ‘Tilly, look at me.’
Looking up at him, she noticed his eyes were blue compared to Isaac’s hazel ones. Isaac must have gotten his eye colour from his mum.
‘You’ve got this, kid. I know how you’re feeling. I felt as terrified as you probably do right now when I was about to meet my birth parents, but you can do this.’
‘But they knew you might come looking for them. They knew you were out there somewhere.’
‘They did, yes. But who’s not going to fall in love with you?’ Terry glanced towards his son. ‘You’ll go with her, won’t you?’
‘Just try to stop me.’ Isaac smiled.
‘Right, well, no time like the present.’ Taking his hands from her shoulders, he walked across the room to the front door and opened it, ushering them outside. ‘Head up. Anyone will be proud to have you as family.’
Taking a deep breath, Tilly walked through the door, pausing as she passed Terry and quickly hugged him.
Chapter Eighteen
‘I’m doing it. This time I’m actually doing it.’ Tilly walked up to the wrought-iron gate of the old Victorian terraced house and placed her hand on the latch, the metal warm against her skin. As though it had burnt her, she quickly removed her hands and walked away again, her arms folded and her head down.
‘Tilly, that’s the fifth time you’ve done that.’ Isaac followed her and glanced around the empty street. ‘If anyone’s peering out from behind their net curtains, they’re going to think we’re casing the place.’
Covering her face with her hands, Tilly peeked through her fingers. ‘I don’t think I can do this.’
‘You can.’ Isaac cupped her elbows. ‘But we don’t have to knock at the door today. We can come back another time or post a letter through the door. Whatever you’re comfortable with.’
Letting her hands fall to her sides, she stubbed the toe of her trainer against the path. ‘I’m not comfortable with any of it. And what your dad said is just going round and round in my mind.’
‘What part of what he said?’ Isaac frowned.
‘The part about anyone being proud to have me as part of the family.’ She blew a loose strand of hair from her eyes.
‘Well, that’s true. You’re a great person, you...’
‘No, you can’t say that.’ She rubbed at her forehead. She was getting a headache. ‘You don’t know me. Not really.’
‘I know enough. I know you’re kind, interesting, and fun to be around.’ He scrunched up his nose. ‘And you don’t mow people down without stopping and seeing if they’re okay.’
