Chapter Thirty-One
A cacophony of noise erupted as chairs were scraped back.
Liam gave a filthy swear, and Brian and Sandra beamed like Ren was a soldier returning from war.
Kevin held his son close and kissed him on the head, gruffly asking why Ren hadn’t told anyone he was coming home.
I stood by, a little awkwardly, as Liam introduced me.
Lydia hadn’t moved from her seat. I noticed his eyes flickering to Lydia and losing some of their shine.
I felt Liam’s hand at the small of my back. ‘This is Kat.’
Ren’s brown eyes, so similar to his brother’s, met mine.
It was almost eerie how similar the brothers were, especially standing side by side.
They moved in the same way. They had the same shade of dark brown hair, although Ren’s was shorter.
They were even the same height. Although if I pointed this out, I was sure there would be a measuring contest, so I grinned at the thought and kept that to myself.
‘Hi, Kat.’ Ren grinned. ‘Suppose I have you to blame for this.’ Ren’s eyes flickered to Liam’s, a joke in them.
While Liam exuded a steady calmness, Ren had a fluid cheekiness about him.
He had the air of someone who was loved and adored.
If I looked up younger sibling in the dictionary, I would find Ren’s face grinning at me.
Ren scanned the room, and his gaze snagged on Lydia, who was still sitting at the table, an unreadable expression on her face.
‘Hey, Lyds,’ he said, his voice hoarse.
‘Lawrence,’ Lydia replied curtly.
My eyebrows shot up. Liam frowned. I’d never seen Lydia act cold and nonchalant in her life.
It wasn’t in her DNA. She had a smile and a joke for everyone.
She was the life and soul of every room.
But when Ren walked in, she’d closed down.
She folded her arms in front of her, not looking in his direction.
I’d been led to believe that Ren and Lydia had spent their childhood together, inseparable. Liam said they were two sides of the same coin – best friends.
But these people weren’t best friends.
Ren’s gaze finally shifted away back to his dad with a cocky smile. But call it ADHD perception or whatever, but I knew the expression Ren wore on his face was longing.
Longing and regret.
My eyes shifted to Lydia.
You okay? I mouthed.
Lydia gave me a quick nod as everyone sat back down and began quizzing Ren. Sandra pulled up a spare chair, and Brian shoved a beer into Ren’s hand and busied himself, making a plate of food for the new arrival. It struck me that Brian and Sandra’s ties to both Hunter boys were strong.
‘How long are you staying, son?’ Kevin asked, clapping his son on the shoulder.
‘For good,’ Ren said, sipping his beer.
Lydia’s head shot up. Ren swallowed as he stared at her.
‘For good.’ Kevin frowned.
‘Yep,’ Ren said, angling his head towards Liam. ‘Liam convinced me. He left me a sappy message about how he’d found his big boy pants ’cos he finally found a woman to inspire.’ Ren’s eyes landed on me, twinkling. ‘I’m guessing that’s you, Kat.’
I shrugged, sipping my wine. ‘I guess I gave him a good kick up the arse.’
Ren laughed. ‘Good.’
‘Can you stop talking about me like I’m not here,’ Liam grumbled.
‘I’m here to help you open Lily’s,’ Ren told Liam. ‘I figured you could do it with the best bartender in the Northwest.’
Lydia snorted, and Ren’s eyes flickered to her.
Lydia stood. ‘You won’t stay. You never do.’
Ren flinched but recovered quickly, replacing it with a smirk. ‘I am staying. For good.’
‘I’ll believe it when I see it.’
‘Well, I’ll have to prove it to you, won’t I? I’ve done it before. Remember the fifteen hundred metres at school? I won that fair and square.’
Lydia’s eyes narrowed. ‘And I won it the following year, remember?’
Ren’s eyes flickered down Lydia’s frame and then back up. ‘I remember.’
Lydia’s chair scraped back, and she muttered something about fresh air before leaving the room. Ten seconds later, Ren followed, his fists clenched.
‘What is that about?’ I muttered to Liam.
‘I have no idea, but it’s probably Ren’s fault. He was always the troublemaker. Lydia always tried to smooth over his mistakes when we were kids.’
I knew one thing – Lydia was in for a grilling later.
*
Three hours later, napkins were scrunched on the table, and rings of red wine stained the tablecloth.
Ren shared stories about his travels, his eyes wild and captivating.
Lydia didn’t return to the table but texted me some bullshit excuse about an early start.
I was tempted to call her out, but Lydia always had so much patience for everyone, so if she needed time, I would give it to her.
I stood up, running my hand across Liam’s back. He had been laughing with his brother and dad for hours. I loved seeing the matching laugh lines around their eyes.
Liam glanced up at me, his hand moving over mine. ‘You okay, Red?’
‘Yeah, just going out for some fresh air.’
The sound of Fleetwood Mac and the smell of Sunday lunch permeated the room, and I was overstimulated. It wasn’t a bad case, but I knew fresh air always set me right.
Liam frowned. ‘Are you sure?’
‘You worry too much.’
‘We can go when you’re ready.’
I kissed the top of his head and dipped outside. The fresh air hit my face. Hints of spring had begun setting in Brian and Sandra’s garden, and the smell of magnolia and freshly mown grass hung in the air. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths.
‘Alright, Kat?’ Brian popped his head out of the patio doors.
‘Yeah.’ I smiled. ‘All good. Just admiring your magnolia tree.’
Brian stood next to me; the tree had begun budding pink and white flowers.
‘That is Sandra’s favourite. I planted it here the first summer we moved into this house, almost thirty years ago.
’ He smiled at the memory. ‘It was a right pain. We’d had a cold winter, so the soil was hard as stone.
I spent hours making sure the hole was dug deep enough and that it was in the best spot.
I bought her a table and chairs so she could sit underneath it.
She’d mentioned it was her favourite tree, but we’d been living in a terrace house with no garden.
So once we bought this house, I went straight to the garden centre.
’ Brian laughed. ‘She was pregnant with Lydia and burst into tears when she saw it.’
‘Never took you for a romantic, Uncle Brian.’
Brian shrugged. ‘I’d do anything for her. I’d plant a million more magnolia trees if it made her happy.’
‘So, that’s the secret to a long, happy marriage, then? Gardening.’
Brian glanced at me, and his expression grew serious. ‘It’s being willing to make the other person as happy as you feel just to be around them.’
Liam’s face popped into my head. Hadn’t he done that for me?
He’d refused to charge me for the renovation. He’d wrangled Willa onto a train and paid for her tickets because I’d mentioned it once. He kept cooking for me, and I knew he was keeping a note of my favourite ones on his notes app because I’d snuck a look on his phone.
Deep down, I knew he was trying to give me reasons to stay. He said we were keeping it casual, but his actions spoke louder than his words.
‘Do me a favour, Kat.’ Brian wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
‘If you’re considering staying, we couldn’t be happier.
For both of you.’ Brian glanced behind us, where Liam was sitting laughing with his dad.
‘But if you’re going back. Tell him. Soon.
Because we both know he’s betting on convincing you to stay. ’
My throat closed up.
‘I will, Brian,’ I croaked. ‘I’m just – I don’t know what to do. I never imagined any of this happening. I didn’t realise you’d all be so lovely –’ My voice cracked.
I hadn’t realised this could feel like home.
Brian squeezed me tighter. ‘I, for one, have been chuffed to get to know my niece better. So whatever you do. If you do want to sell the house and go back down south, do it. But remember you’re always welcome back, love.
Sandra and I have become a bit attached to you the past couple of weeks, and we don’t want it to return to how it was before. Your mum –’
Brian’s mouth shut closed. His lips were a thin, flat line. It was the face of someone who was about to say too much.
‘What about Mum?’
Brian dropped his hand. ‘It’s not my place, love.’
‘Uncle Brian,’ I warned.
Brian sighed. ‘Your mum – well, it’s been no secret she didn’t like it here. Even when she was still married to your dad, she hated coming to visit. She thought everyone was barmy.’ Brian shook his head. ‘She looked down on us. So it was no surprise your visits stopped too –’
I nodded. ‘I know.’
Brian shifted on his feet. ‘Well, when your parents divorced and your dad moved back here. She…’ Brian winced. ‘After they divorced, Paula wouldn’t let your dad see you. I told him he needed to get a custody agreement. He needed to fight for you.’
My heart raced, tingles shot down my arms. ‘She – she wouldn’t do that.’
Brian’s face was grave. ‘I’m sorry, Kat. If there weren’t any reason to bring it up, I wouldn’t have. But I think you deserve to know. Your dad – he was really low after the divorce. He took on the blame because of all the money problems he’d caused.’
I frowned. I knew money had something to do with the divorce from all the arguments I’d overheard sitting at the top of the stairs. Dad had invested all the money in his garage, including a loan against the house.
‘Your dad trusted the wrong bloke. Someone to do the accounts. But he was funnelling money out of the business. Slowly but surely, taking more and more each year. When the financial crash hit in ’08, well, he managed to take it all. He moved abroad with the money.’
I inhaled shakily. ‘Does that justify going no contact with your eleven-year-old daughter?’
‘It doesn’t. But you should know – your dad was in a bad place.
’ Brian looked ahead like he was remembering that time.
‘There were times I wasn’t sure he wanted to be here with us.
But he came back home and got some help.
He was better a year or two later, and I told him to meet you.
If Paula hated the idea, I told him to look into custody agreements.
Then, one night, he told me. Your mum had asked him to stay away.
You were struggling enough at school as it was.
You didn’t need any more stress. You needed stability.
“She’s better off without me,” he used to say.
’ Brian shook his head. ‘Stupid man. He missed out on so much.’
‘I – I don’t know what to say.’ Emotions swirled around me, a storm cloud brewing.
I craved to march back down south and demand my mum tell me it was a lie.
Tell me she would never do anything like that.
But another part of me knew it wasn’t impossible.
Mum always wanted things to be as straightforward as possible.
‘I understand this is hard to wrap your head around. And for the record, as much as I disagree with Paula’s approach, I understand that it was coming from a good place.
Routine and stability are so important for kids.
But Jim took it to heart. He already blamed himself for the business, almost losing the house.
Your mum’s parents had to help dig him out of debt.
I think he’d lost his confidence to be a dad.
A proper dad. I thought you should know that it was complicated.
And that if I could, I’d strangle him for not making it right. For leaving you in this limbo.’
It was like someone had added more foreground detail to an oil painting. The details added made sense. Suddenly, memories flooded in of my dad being in bed, unable to get up.
‘I wanted you to know that he loved you. I know it wasn’t enough. He knew it wasn’t enough, but he did love you. He just wasn’t strong enough to show it.’