Page 41 of Finding Love in Micklewick Bay

Stella arrived back at the table, a sea of worried faces looking at her. She squeezed back in to where she’d been sitting earlier, reaching for her glass of wine and taking a glug.

‘Is everything okay, Stella?’ Alex asked, his eyes soft with concern.

‘I’m not sure,’ she said, releasing a long breath.

‘What’s happened, flower,’ asked Maggie.

‘If it’s that arty-farty-looking bloke that’s upset you I’ll go and kick his backside,’ said Jasmine, her green eyes flashing and her cheeks flushing as they did when something had angered her. ‘He certainly seemed to put the wind up your mum.’

‘I got a very strange vibe from him, Stells, and from the brief glimpse I got of his aura, it left me feeling a bit concerned.’

That Lark rarely ever said anything negative about anyone meant her comment struck a chord with Stella.

‘Is everything all right?’ her friend asked softly.

‘I think so, and you’re not the only one who got a strange vibe from him. I’d appreciate it if you’d keep this to yourselves for now,’ she said lowering her voice, ‘but that “arty-farty-looking bloke” – I can’t believe I’m about to say this – turns out he’sactually my father.’ She figured there was no point hiding it from her friends.

An almost deafening silence followed, her friends looking back at her, unmistakable shock on their faces. Jasmine’s mouth was hanging open while Florrie had clamped her hand over hers. Alex wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close and rubbing her arm. She leant into him, his strong reassurance soothing.

Lark was the first to speak. ‘Do you think his appearance is linked to your mum rushing out the way she did?’

She nodded. ‘I think it has everything to do with why she rushed out.’

‘Oh, Stells.’ Florrie reached for her hand, squeezing it tightly. ‘It must be a huge shock for you, him turning up out of the blue like this.’

‘You could say.’ Stella glanced around at them all, feeling numb. ‘It’s going to take some sinking in.’ She held back from mentioning Pim, unsure if he wanted to broadcast the news just yet, if at all.

Jean Davenport, sitting opposite, said, ‘I’m sure it’ll all come right, lovey. Look how everything turned out for Jack and me.’ She smiled kindly.

Jack, who was sitting beside his mother, nodded. ‘Aye, I have to agree,’ he said in his gravelly North Yorkshire accent. ‘It was a heck of a shock for me to find my birth mother and hear her story after all these years, but look at us now.’ He put his arm around Jean and hugged her, indisputable affection in both their eyes. ‘Neither of us could be happier with how things turned out.’

Jack Davenport had only learnt he was adopted after his adoptive parents had died. What he’d found out had led him to Micklewick Bay where, quite by chance, he discovered the identity of his birth mother. As an unmarried young woman, Jean had found herself pregnant at a time when it was viewedwith much disapproval, not least by her parents. With her boyfriend, who was the father of her unborn child, running off with her so-called best friend, Jean had found herself with no alternative but to give up her baby. It was something she’d done secretly, and with the help of Ed’s grandparents. It had given her great comfort to know her little boy had gone to a couple who would love him as their own. And she’d always hoped, one day, he’d come looking for her.

‘But you had your reasons to give up your baby, Jean. My so-called father turned his back on me and my mum, not caring what happened to us, you made sure Jack went to a family who would love him.’

‘I can understand why you feel that way right now. You’ve had a shock, but things will settle down,’ Jean said kindly.

‘I wonder why he’s turned up now, after all these years?’ Jasmine voiced exactly what had started running through Stella’s mind.

‘He mentioned something about his health not being great, and that he was dealing with a lot of stuff.’ Stella nibbled on the corner of her mouth.

‘And you think that might be why he’s landed here in Micklewick Bay?’ asked Maggie.

‘I don’t know.’ Stella’s heart sank at the thought. After being so desperate to find him, she suddenly found herself wishing he wasn’t here.

‘Just be careful, flower,’ Lark said. The unfamiliar warning note in her words sending anxiety shooting up Stella’s spine.

‘Don’t worry, I will.’ She gave Lark a shaky smile.

‘And don’t forget, we’re here for you whenever you need us,’ said Florrie, the others agreeing wholeheartedly.

‘Are you sure you’re okay?’ Alex asked when they arrived outside her apartment door.

Stella mustered up a smile and nodded. ‘Yeah, I just need to process it all.’

‘Well, you know where I am if you need to talk.’ He rested his hands on her shoulders. ‘I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now, but please feel free to call, text or knock on my door any time, I really won’t mind.’

‘Thanks.’ She looked up into his eyes, the kindness she saw there making her throat tighten.

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