The Lost Sister, Kathleen McGurl [best desktop ebook reader txt] 📗

marvellous,’ he said, ‘and I spent so much time imagining what it must have been like on the great ships of the past, that Harriet’s and my grandmothers worked on.’

‘Robert, my brother Matthew is coming today,’ Harriet told him. ‘So you’ll meet another second cousin soon. I’ll introduce you.’

‘Awesome. Extending my family even further.’

Harriet heard the doorbell ring, and left Robert chatting to Sheila. This time it was Matthew. She hugged him, feeling slightly overwhelmed that her brother was here, in her house, taking his place as part of her family. She swallowed hard, blinking, anything to try to stop the tears that threatened. Matthew seemed to understand, for he squeezed her tightly and then released her, smiling.

‘Sis! It’s good to see you again. What a wonderful little bungalow. So perfect a place to live. I should really do the same – my house is too big and too much work, and it’d be great to have a smaller place. You’ve totally inspired me. So, shall I go to the kitchen for a drink? If you’ve a can of beer that would be perfect …’

His stream of chatter gave her the chance to compose herself, and she smiled back at him gratefully. ‘Yes, my friend Sheila was doing the drinks but she’s now chatting to our second cousin Robert – I told you about him? – so I probably should get your drink myself. We have beer. Lager or a bottle of craft beer?’

‘Oh, a craft beer, thank you.’ He sounded delighted, and Harriet suddenly remembered that he’d always been a fan of real ale and micro-breweries. She fetched him the drink, and as she handed it to him she realised Sally was on the patio, looking in at them with curiosity. ‘So, come and say hi to your niece. I think she was only about 15 when you last saw her.’ She grabbed his hand, pulled him through the patio door and introduced him to Sally.

‘Uncle Matthew! Fabulous to see you again! You’re just as I remember, although it must be twenty years, so I guess I’ve changed a bit!’ Sally shook his hand and then leaned in to kiss his cheek. She tipped her head on one side. ‘You know, I think I can see the family resemblance. Something about the shape of your eyes reminds me of my sister, Davina. And your face shape is the same as Mum’s.’

‘Ah, we both got that from our father,’ Matthew said, and Harriet nodded.

‘I was going to say you’re the spitting image of Dad.’

‘And you remind me so much of our Mum,’ he replied. ‘It’s nice to be reminded.’

Harriet looked around at her party happily. She wasn’t expecting any more guests, and everyone she’d invited had come. A happy couple of hours passed, with the children playing tag in the garden, while Charlie watched, keeping a watchful eye on Jerome. Sally and Matthew were getting to know each other, and Sheila and Robert were deep in conversation. Harriet spent time mingling, talking to her new neighbours who all seemed friendly as they sat in her living room, chatting and laughing. She wandered out to the hallway and as she glanced through the window beside the front door she realised a taxi had pulled up outside, and someone was getting out. A man, with two children, and a woman …

Holding her breath, she opened the front door and walked up the driveway while the man paid the taxi driver. She stared at the woman, the children, and then the woman again. Tall, blonde, elegant, tanned, and staring back at her, her mouth gradually reshaping into a broad smile. Harriet took a step forward and clutched at a gate post.

‘Harriet? Mum? God, you don’t look a day older,’ the woman said. She also stepped forward but there was still a couple of metres between them – a short distance but a wide gulf of years of misunderstanding and regret.

‘Davina! Oh my God, Davina!’ Harriet reached out her right hand, still clinging to the gate post with her left as though she might drown in her emotions if she let go. Davina made another step forward and took hold of Harriet’s hand. Contact with her daughter for the first time in fifteen years – it made her fingers tingle and a rush of warmth spread through her. ‘Oh, Davina,’ she said again, pulling her daughter towards her into an embrace, wondering too late if that might be a step too far. All these years of learning not to push things with Davina, all the care she’d always taken not to push her away – all that was gone like driftwood on the tide as she revelled in the feel of her youngest child in her arms once again.

And Davina was sobbing on her shoulder, her body heaving, her arms clutched tightly around Harriet like a drowning woman. All those years apart, all those missed opportunities to make memories together, all of it washed away in a torrent of tears.

‘Mummy? Is this our granny?’ A small hand was tugging at Davina’s sleeve, and Harriet reluctantly pulled away a little to see that the smaller of the two girls was standing by. Her sister was hanging back a little, beside the man who must be James.

‘Summer?’ Harriet said, and the nearer child nodded. ‘Yes, I’m your granny. It’s amazing to meet you.’ She held out a hand, not knowing whether to hug her granddaughter or shake hands, but Summer made the decision for her, wrapping her little arms around Harriet’s waist. She leaned over, resting her cheek on the top of Summer’s head, breathing in the scent of apple shampoo. Out of the corner of her eye she saw James give the other girl an encouraging little nudge, and then Autumn was there too, in a group hug. Autumn was almost as tall as Harriet, and darker haired, looking so like Sally had as a teen that for a moment it felt as though the