Chapter 41
Cadi hadn't been sure she wanted to visit, but Eila had called, her voice warm as always, and Derrik had grumbled something about missing his favourite doctor.
So she packed a fresh salad and grilled mackerel with mustard sauce-because Derrik's health wasn't great, no matter how much he pretended otherwise-and drove down with Tomos.
She was worried about running into Regan, only about punching her in her lying face.
And she was grateful she did not have to face that dilemma.
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Eila opened the door as soon as he pulled into the drive. She looked just as she always had-freckles, bright hair, eyes sharp with intelligence. Cadi had inherited her colouring, but Eila had aged with a grace that Cadi wasn't sure she had in her.
There were fine lines now, little crow's feet at the corners of her sharp eyes, the kind that came from years of smiling, laughing, worrying. Her auburn hair, once as fiery as Cadi's, was now streaked with silver, the strands catching the light as she moved.
The years had settled into her skin, soft wrinkles at her neck, faint creases around her mouth-but it suited her.
Eila wore time like a woman who had lived every moment of it.
Derrik was already grumbling before she even set the food on the table.
"Fish an' bloody salad," he muttered, eyeing the plate like it had personally offended him. "Don't I deserve a bit of sausage an' chips in my old age?"
Derrik scoffed, eyeing the grilled mackerel with clear disappointment. "A little grease never killed anyone, y'know."
Eila shot him a sharp look. "No, but clogged arteries will."
Derrik huffed but picked up his fork, grumbling under his breath, "Bloody shame, wastin' a good meal without a bit o' batter and chips."
Cadi smirked, watching the exchange. "You're lucky Mam loves you enough to keep you alive."
Derrik grunted, taking a reluctant bite. "Aye, well, someone's gotta suffer for love."
Cadi smiled, but something about being back here, in this house-the house she'd grown up in, the house where Derrik had been more of a father to her than her own ever was-made her eyes tear up.
Eila must have noticed, because as they ate, she gave Cadi a long, searching look.
"I told him bits and pieces," she finally said, setting down her fork.
Eila watched Cadi carefully over the rim of her mug. "How's Gray?"
Derrik, who had been quiet for most of the evening, let out a low grunt, his expression set like stone.
Cadi sighed. "Better."
Derrik scoffed. "He bloody well better be. Put you both through hell he did. Needs a proper hiding."
Cadi shot him a look but didn't argue. She had t spoken to Eila over the phone about Callum's revelations, about the truth Gray had learned far too late. The shock had been immediate-Eila had gone silent, while Derrik , who had been listening, had cursed under his breath.
Now, Eila gave her a knowing look. "And what do you plan to do?"
Cadi hesitated. "I don't know."
Eila nodded, setting her mug down. "Then figure it out. But don't let anger make the decision for ye."
Derrik sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. "Cadi... have you spoken to Regan?"
The easy warmth of the room dimmed.
Cadi's shoulders stiffened. "No."
Derrik nodded slowly, as if he'd expected that. He let out a heavy breath. "I keep askin' meself where we went wrong."
Eila reached over, covering his hand with hers. "We didn't."
Derrik shook his head, his fork rested untouched on his plate. "Didn't we?" His voice was rough, heavy with something Cadi wasn't used to hearing from him-uncertainty.
"Raised that girl since she was barely outta the hospital." He exhaled, shaking his head. "Her mam legged it soon as she could. Just... up an' gone, left me with a newborn an' didn't look back."
Cadi felt a pang of sorrow deep in her chest. She'd always known that, but Derrik never really talked about it. Not like this.
He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Did me best, y'know? Had no clue what I were doin'. Just tried t'keep her fed, tried t'do right by her. An' then..." He looked at Eila, his lips pressing together. "Then I met yer mam."
Eila placed a gentle hand on his arm, her expression warm. "An' I loved her, Derrik."
Cadi swallowed. She knew that.
Eila had never treated Regan like she wasn't hers. Not once.
Derrik nodded slowly. "Aye. You did." His throat worked. "An' Cadi-you were always stickin' up for her."
Cadi shifted uncomfortably. She hadn't thought about it in years, but it was true. Regan had always been different. Quieter, softer, more sensitive. And whenever someone picked on her-at school, at family events, even in their own house-Cadi was the first one in front of her.
She'd always thought that meant something.
But now, she didn't know.
Derrik let out a slow breath, shakin' his head again. "Thought her an' Cadi-" He broke off, rubbin' his hand down his face. "I dunno."
Eila squeezed his hand. "She's ashamed, Derrik."
He let out a bitter laugh. "Aye. She should be."
Cadi said nothing.
What could she say without hurting Derrik?
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Tomos, who had been sliding down the banister in spite of Cadi's many threats, landed with a thump at the bottom of the stairs, his face lit up with mischief.
Before Cadi could turn her glare into a proper scolding, he bounded over, blissfully unaware of the tension simmering between the adults.
"Grandaaaaaaa!" he announced loudly, grinning ear to ear, as if he hadn't just risked breaking his neck. "Guess what?"
Derrik snorted, grateful for the interruption. "Go on, then. What?"
"I played rugby today," he announced proudly, sitting up straighter in his chair.
Derrik perked up immediately. "Oh aye? How'd ya do?"
Tomos beamed. "James an' me are gonna be the best. He says we'll play for Wales, but I told 'im maybe England instead, since Da likes them best."
Derrik made a face. "England? Ah, lad, don't let yer da corrupt ya."
Cadi snorted, and Tomos looked delighted. "James's da says I'm fast. And-" His face turned just a little pink, ears going bright red. "There's this new girl in class. Sarah."
Eila's eyes lit up. "Oh? A new friend?"
Tomos squirmed, suddenly very interested in his plate. "She's alright."
Derrik grinned. "Bet she's more than alright, lad."
Cadi smirked. "Bet she thinks you're fast, too."
Tomos groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Ugh. You're all so emb-" He stopped, frowning in frustration before trying again. "Emb-er-"
Cadi bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "Embarrassing?"
Tomos huffed. "Yeah! That!"
Derrik chuckled. "You were doin' fine till yer ears went red, lad."
Tomos ignored him, still grumbling, but then straightened, as if suddenly remembering something important.
"She plays rugby, y'know," he said, trying to sound casual. "Better than James."
Cadi raised a brow. "But not better than you?"
Tomos scowled. "'Course not!"
Eila let out a delighted laugh. "Oh, I like this girl already."
Tomos groaned again, flopping dramatically against the table. "I'm never tellin' you anythin' again."
And just like that, the warmth returned.
Until the doorbell rang.
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Eila got up first. Cadi had a bad feeling before her mother even opened the door.
The second Regan stepped inside, her eyes flickered around, searching.
For Gray.
When she didn't find him, her shoulders relaxed.
Cadi swallowed the sharp words that rose to her tongue. Not today.
They sat at the dining table, but the conversation was stilted. Cadi made excuses and said her goodbyes even as Tomos was loudly protesting
"But we just got here, Ma"
Once outside, she focused on strapping Tomos into his car seat, her hands steady even as her insides churned with anger.
And then-
"Cadi."
The voice was hesitant, unsure.
Cadi looked over her shoulder. Cold. Unreadable.
Regan shifted on her feet, looking around self-consciously, as if waiting for someone to rescue her from this.
Cadi sighed, shaking her head. "Whatever it is, just say it."
Regan's throat bobbed. "I'm sorry." She looked down, fingers twisting together. "I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen."
Cadi let out a slow breath, stepping away from the car. "I always saw you as my sister. Why did you do this?"
Regan let out a shaky laugh, one that held no humour. "Because I was jealous of you, Cadi. I always have been."
Cadi's brows furrowed. "Jealous?"
Regan swallowed hard. "You had everything. You were everything. Smart, capable, perfect. People liked you. Respected you."
Her voice grew more quiet. "And me? I was always the messy one. The one who got things wrong."
Cadi stared at her. "That's not true."
Regan huffed a short, humourless laugh. "You don't see it, do you?" Her gaze flickered, ashamed. "And then I thought you'd cheated on Gray. And for a moment... for a moment, it felt good. Like the mighty had fallen."
Cadi's expression did not change.
Regan's voice cracked. "But when I told Gray... it wasn't what I thought it would be. It wasn't satisfying. It just... made everything worse. And I kept trying to fix it, but the more I tried, the worse it got."
Cadi let out a slow, controlled breath.
She was furious.
She was tired.
And she wasn't going to pretend to forgive.
"Maybe I should thank you," she finally said, voice level. "Because of you, Gray and I are talking about things we should have talked about years ago."
Regan's lips parted, surprised.
"But don't mistake that for gratitude." Cadi's voice turned hard. "Because I can never trust you again. Ever."
Regan's eyes burned.
Cadi opened the driver's door. "I'm not ready to even look at you, let alone be civil."
She got in, shutting the door with a sharp finality.
And as she drove away, she didn't look back.