Page 67 of Sun, Sea & Strawberry Shortcake
Seconds later, as we’re still gathered in the lane, Emeraldemerges and walks back over to her car. She spots me and smiles, and I wave.
‘Bee mustn’t be in,’ says Ruby. ‘Or maybe they’re in the backgarden and didn’t hear the buzzer.’
‘I must go and speak to her. She...advised me to give Harry another chance and I’ll always be grateful to her.’
I called Harry and we were able to talk more calmly abouteverything this time. Even though it still hurts so much to think of him withsomeone else, I realised that I wanted more than anything to keep my littlefamily together – especially now that Emma has a baby brother or sister on the way.I’m going to break the news to Harry in person about the new baby, when we getback...
Emerald’s eyes light up as I walk over. ‘Jaz!’ She smiles.‘I’m surprised you even recognise me, trussed up like a turkey. These darnedshoes! How people wear suits every day to the office, I’ll never know. Isuppose it’s my fault for dressing like a scarecrow most of my life.’
I laugh. ‘You most certainly didn’t look like a scarecrowbefore. But I must admit, this new look is good on you.’
‘Well, thanks.’ She points at the bench on the other side ofthe lane. ‘Do you want to sit over there for a minute or two? I need to know whathappened with Harry.’
‘Ah, yes. Harry.’ I look down at my feet as we walk along.
‘You’re not splitting up, are you?’ She looks at meanxiously. ‘I mean, I wouldn’t blame you at all if you felt that was what youwanted to happen. There’s no excuse for infidelity...’
I smile. ‘But everyone deserves a second chance?’
‘I think so. Although my view is coloured, as you know, bywhat was happening in my life at the time.’
I nod. ‘You lost your daughter?’
A mix of emotions crosses her face. ‘Yes. I did.’ Shesmiles. ‘It’s funny. I always think of her as mine, but of course she wasn’t.’
I stare at her. ‘Oh. I thought shewasyours? Sorry,I must have misunderstood.’
She gives a little sigh. ‘Well, that’s what I wanted, ofcourse, but it never happened. My husband and I were planning to adopt her. Butthen I found out Geoff was having an affair, and I was so upset, I wasn’tthinking straight.’ She shakes her head, remembering. ‘I ordered him to packhis bags and he left that same night. But of course the adoption was out of thequestion after that. In my anger and misery, it hadn’t even occurred to me thatmy precious plans would be scuppered because I was no longer part of a couple.’
‘But that’s awful.’ My heart goes out to her. ‘What happenedto the little girl?’
‘They found another couple to adopt her.’ She swallows. ‘Wewere fostering her, and I had her with me another week and then they came forher.’
‘Oh, no. And you never saw her again? Not even for a visit?’
She shakes her head, her eyes full of sadness. ‘Even thoughI was dying inside, I knew a clean break was the best way – for both her andme.’ She digs into her handbag and pulls out a flat white box that might haveonce contained jewellery. ‘This is one of the few things I have left to remindme of her.’
Taking off the lid, she unfolds the sheet of paper itcontains – as carefully as if it were an ancient text in a museum – and sheshows it to me with tears in her eyes.
It’s a child’s drawing, coloured in neatly, of two people withbig smiles on their faces. They’re holding hands and one is clearly a child.
‘That’s me.’ Emerald points. ‘And that’s her. My Anna. Mydarling little cherub.’
*****
Emerald invites me to have lunch with her, so we walkalong to her favourite beachside café, where I bumped into her the other day.
We chat about Harry, and she tells me more about how losinglittle Anna affected her deeply.
‘We’d been a happy little threesome, and then suddenly I wasfacing life as a divorcee and Anna was gone. I went completely to pieces andended up needing treatment in a psychiatric hospital.’ She shakes her head.‘For the past twelve years, I’ve lived as a virtual recluse, working from homeso I didn’t have to see anyone. The charity was set up by my father – my familyhas inherited wealth – and I know he’d have loved it if I’d been able tocontinue his great work. But when I came out of hospital, I couldn’t evenmuster the courage tovisitthe village, let alone attempt to fill myfather’s shoes.’ She smiles ruefully. ‘Thankfully, the committee I appointeddoes a great job. My father, bless him, has gone now. But he was really handson, taking a genuine interest in the individuals he was trying to help.’
‘Was he an alderman?’ I ask.
‘Yes, he was. People respected and loved my father. And Ibelieve there are some who like to think his ghost roams the village at night,keeping an affectionate eye on his beloved creation. He was such a lovely man,Jaz. And that’s definitely something he would do.’ She smiles. ‘But I don’tthink he believed in ghosts.’
‘Do you?’
She frowns, thinking. ‘I never used to. But now...maybe I do.’
