Page 121 of Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay
I nod.
‘And he’s Charlie’s father?’
‘Yes.’
‘Hmm, that’s makes it tricky, then.’
‘It does indeed.’
Joey sits quietly again for a bit, as if he’s gathering his thoughts.
‘Look, miss—’ he says eventually, finding his voice.
‘Amelia, please, Joey. You know I prefer that.’
‘Sorry. So, mi— I mean,Amelia, I don’t want to talk out of turn, but the thing ismyfather walked out on me mam and me when I was a bairn too.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.’
Joey shrugs. ‘As it turns out we were better off without him. I found out afterwards he hit me mam.’
‘No, that’s terrible, your poor mother. But not you?’ I ask gently, trying not to appear as if I’m prying.
‘Nah, not me, luckily. But like I said, after he left I was sad I hadn’t got a dad, but I soon realised me mam was better without him. She was happier, and a lot less bruised!’
‘Indeed.’
‘But the thing is I always wondered about him, you know?’
‘Did you ever see him again?’
‘Nope. Apparently he died a couple of years ago, up north in Glasgow of all places. We didn’t find out until later, so we didn’t go to the funeral or anything. Well, me mam wouldn’t have gone, but I might.’
‘Even after what he’d done?’
‘Even after that. He was still me dad, wasn’t he? People don’t stop being your parents just because they do something bad. You might not like them as much, but they’re still your mam and dad.’
‘My father died when I was young too,’ I tell him. ‘He was still with my mum then, so it was hard for all of us.’
‘Bet you still miss him,’ Joey says perceptively.
‘Yes I do. I miss them both – Mum has passed now too.’
‘Terrible that is – both your parents gone.’ Joey thinks about this for a moment. ‘You wouldn’t want that for Charlie, now, would you?’
I shake my head.
‘So even though you might hate this fella Graham, he’s still Charlie’s dad, and Charlie might want to know him.’
‘I suppose . . . ’
‘He didn’t hityou, though, did he?’ Joey asks, suddenly on the defensive again. ‘Cos if he did, I don’t think I’d be able, or evenwant, to hold Tom back. He’s livid enough back there in the castle. Dorothy is trying to calm him down with a cup of tea, but I think she might need an elephant-size tranquilliser dart, he’s so worked up.’
‘Oh Tom . . . ’ I say, sighing as I think about him.
‘He thinks the world of you and Charlie – we all do, actually – but Tom, I think, especially so, if you get my meaning?’
‘Yes, Joey, I understand. I think the world of Tom too.’
