Page 51 of The Half Sister

‘I just really want us to all get along,’ says Jess. ‘You’ve been so kind, and I just know that if Kate would just give me time, get to know and trust me, then I’m sure we could be the sisters we were meant to be, if circumstances hadn’t dictated otherwise.’

Lauren looks down at the floor and takes a deep breath. ‘It’s not your fault that Kate’s taken this the way she has,’ she says. ‘She’s a tricky character, who’s always been daddy’s little princess, so to find out that the man she looked up to wasn’t the man she thought he was has been hard for her to accept.’

‘Does she believe it?’ asks Jess.

‘No, I don’t think she does,’ says Lauren. ‘Not yet, but she’ll come around.’

‘How? What can I do to make her see that I’m not here to cause trouble? That I want us all to get along.’

Lauren shakes her head. ‘I don’t know, but I’ll work on it. It’s important to me that you’re a part of my family and I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you’re accepted.’

‘After everything I’ve been through, I just want to feel like I belong,’ says Jess tearfully.

‘I know,’ says Lauren, going to her and pulling her in for a hug. ‘You don’t deserve this.’

‘Why are you being so kind?’ sniffs Jess. ‘Why aren’t you as angry or mistrusting of me as Kate is?’

‘Because I know what my father was capable of and I’ve spent many, many years being angry with him. I would have gone on hating him until my dying day if you hadn’t turned up. You saved me from that – you’ve showed me that some good came from the mistakes he made back then.’

‘Have you remembered anything more about my mother?’ asks Jess quietly. ‘Anything at all.’

Lauren shakes her head.

‘I thought I might go up to Harrogate,’ says Jess. ‘Just to ask around. See if I can jog anyone’s memory.’

‘It was a long time ago,’ says Lauren. ‘I’m not sure that it will help. I can barely remember it myself.’

‘But you definitely saw your dad with a woman,’ says Jess. ‘And a baby.’

Lauren nods. ‘But the memory is getting weaker and weaker.’

‘Because of what Kate and your mum are saying?’

‘I know what I saw,’ says Lauren. ‘But it might not have meant what I think it did.’

‘Why are you backtracking now?’ asks Jess.

‘I’m not,’ says Lauren. ‘I just don’t want to give you the wrong information.’

‘Come with me,’ says Jess, suddenly animated. ‘Let’s go tomorrow. I’ve got the day off. We can get the train from King’s Cross.’

Lauren looks at her as if she’s mad. ‘I can’t.’

‘Why not?’

‘Well...because...’ Lauren stutters. ‘Because I’ve got three children.’

‘Okay, so let’s take them with us,’ says Jess through a smile. ‘We couldallgo. I’ll do us some sandwiches and snacks for the train, make a day of it.’

Lauren is momentarily stumped for a valid reason to say no. ‘Look, I don’t think there’s any point in going up there,’ she says.

Jess looks at her, crestfallen.

‘It was twenty-two years ago. Nobody will remember what happened back then. People who were there then won’t be there now. We’d be going on a wild goose chase.’

‘How do you know?’ asks Jess.

Lauren feels a flush of heat creeping up her neck and hopes it’s not visible. ‘Trust me, it will just be a waste of time. You won’t find out who your mother is by trekking halfway up the country.’

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