Page 94 of Meet Me in Berlin

My chest feels hollow and my vision is blurred, but I continue through the gallery, taking in the rest of our summer display. It will come down in a couple of weeks to be replaced by the autumn exhibition we planned months ago. Work is all I have now, and this needs to be my focus.

I head back to my little office, gaze up at the Jamaican beach on the wall, let the serenity of it wash over me, then get to work on putting together a cracking winter exhibition.

Chapter 33

Holly, Melbourne

Jetlag drags at my body as I walk the brightly lit corridors of the Royal Melbourne Hospital stroke unit, searching for Mum’s ward. When I find it, she’s asleep, frail and delicate, a gentle rise and fall of her chest. I take the seat by the bed and pick up her hand. Her wedding ring is looser than it was when I left.

‘Hi, Mum.’

Her eyelids slowly open and she blinks at me.

‘It’s Holly. I’m here.’

Her brows furrows, but then recognition fills her eyes. She holds her hand up to my face. ‘Lovely girl,’ she says, her voice hoarse. She glances around and licks her lips.

‘Are you thirsty?’ I pour her a glass of water from the carafe on the bedside table.

She sits up and takes a few sips. ‘That’s better.’ She places the glass on the tray table and opens her arms for me.

My body relaxes in her embrace. ‘I missed you.’

‘It hasn’t been that long since I’ve seen you, has it?’ she says.

I take a seat. ‘Maybe that’s because we’ve had lots of video calls.’

‘Yes, but at the care home … didn’t I see you in person…’ She shakes her head, forehead crinkling.

I don’t want her distressed, so I go along with it. ‘I was there two weeks ago – not long at all.’

‘I thought so,’ she says, lying back against the pillow.

‘I went to Berlin. But I’m home now.’

Her eyes widen. ‘Berlin?’

I’m about to remind her of the conversations we had when I was there, but it’s pointless, so I just nod. ‘Uh-huh. For a holiday.’

Mum’s eyes flick behind me, and I spin to see Adam. He breaks into a wide grin. ‘Hey, you.’

I jump up and rush to him. The stress of the past few days hits me, and I let out a small sob against his chest. ‘Missed you.’

‘Missed you, too.’ He steps back and holds me at arm’s length. ‘You were only gone a couple of weeks. Why the tears?’

I wipe my cheeks. ‘Long story. I’ll tell you later.’

He gives me a bemused look and walks around to the other side of the bed, giving Mum’s shin a light pat. ‘Hi, Mum.’

She smiles at him and opens her mouth to answer, but nothing comes.

‘It’s Adam,’ he says. ‘Your son.’

She tsks. ‘I know who you are.’

‘Sorry.’ He bends down to kiss her cheek before pulling up a chair. ‘How was the flight?’ he asks me. ‘You must be tired.’

‘Flight was long, and I barely slept, so yeah, exhausted.’ I glance at Mum, who’s shifted lower in the bed and closed her eyes. ‘Any updates on what’s happening?’ I whisper to Adam.

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