Page 46 of Finding Love in Micklewick Bay

Johan hung his head. ‘Well,’ he gave a self-pitying sigh, ‘I’m not doing too good actually. About a month ago, I was diagnosed with a heart condition and prescribed medication. Just daysafter that, I learnt I was going to lose my home in Leiden. My landlord told me he was wanting to sell the apartment I was living in, so he served me my notice.’ He pushed his floppy blond hair back with his hand. ‘To make matters worse, my health has meant I’ve been struggling to work which means I’ve been finding it virtually impossible to raise the funds for the deposit on a new flat. I haven’t been able to keep up payments on my medical insurance so I’m also struggling to afford my medication, which I desperately need.’ He looked forlornly from Stella to Pim. ‘I don’t know what to do, things are feeling pretty hopeless for me. I’ve been crashing on friends’ sofas; it’s why I’ve ended up here in Micklewick Bay.’

If anyone else had imparted such news, her heart would have gone out to them and she’d have offered to help, but there was something about this man sitting before her that didn’t evoke a single feeling of sympathy or affection. Her years of experience at the bar told her when things didn’t add up, and something in her gut told her to be wary. Instead, he just looked pathetic and inordinately sorry for himself. Did that make her cold or hard? Stella caught Pim’s eye, trying to read his expression, wondering if Johan’s speech had evoked the same feelings in him as they had in her. Before she could give it any further thought, Pim spoke.

‘So how have you ended up in such a mess? Didn’t you have any savings to help tide you over?’

‘Good point. I dare say you won’t have been helping support the children you have dotted around all over the place, so your money won’t have been going on that.’ Stella reached for her mug again, sipping her coffee slowly, observing Johan’s reaction over the rim.

He flinched at her words. ‘I don’t know how it’s happened, it just has. It doesn’t help that rent is expensive in The Netherlands. And despite what you suggest, the women whohave had my children refused to accept any money from me; they wanted to be independent, didn’t want me to stick around. It was almost as if I’d served my purpose like some kind of champion stud.’

Stella and Pim shared a look of utter mortification.

What the…?This man had a seriously inflated opinion of himself. If his comment hadn’t been so repellent, it would be hilarious!

‘Oh, don’t worry, I understand how it happened; a tall, strong, good-looking guy is very appealing to some women, especially when their biological clock is ticking. Tick, tock, tick, tock. They see my genes as desirable. I fall for it every time. They use me for what they want, then when I’ve served my purpose, out I go. Bye, bye, Johan, we don’t need you anymore.’

Is he for real?His arrogance knew no bounds. ‘Anyone would think you’d have learnt your lesson from the amount of times it’s happened.’ Stella wasn’t giving him an inch.

‘Ah, but I hate to disappoint the women in my life. And like I said, I fall for it every time.’

Johan pushed up the sleeve of his grey and white striped linen shirt, revealing the same tattoo Pim had imprinted on his wrist. Johan caught Stella eyeing it with interest. ‘It’s my initials and my family crest.’

Before she could reply, his mobile phone, which was face down on the table beside him, pinged. He picked it up and read the message quickly. ‘Okay, I have to go now.’ He pushed himself up and turned to Stella. ‘It’s been good to talk to you. Perhaps I could visit you at your apartment; I’ve heard it’s very smart, I’d quite like to see it.’

Though his request surprised her, her expression remained impassive. ‘If we do meet again, I’d prefer to do it elsewhere,’ she said matter-of-factly. The last thing she wanted was to have this man set foot in her apartment. He may be her biological father,but emotionally, he was nothing more than a stranger with an inflated opinion of himself, and one who most certainly wasn’t going to slither his way into her home. It was transparently obvious that his reason for visiting was to serve his own needs, and nothing to do with the fact that he wanted to get to know her.

He pushed his hands into the pockets of his crumpled cotton trousers. ‘Okay.’ He held her gaze, as if pushing her to change her mind, but she stood firm. ‘Right, well, I’ll say goodbye for now. I hope to see you again soon.’ He pulled a creased beige jacket from the back of his chair and pushed his arms into it, hovering a moment again as if waiting for her to change her mind. When she didn’t he loped off, Pim following behind.

As soon as Johan had left the room, Stella breathed out a sigh of relief. She felt drained. Meeting her father should have been a monumental moment in her life. Instead it had felt surreal, the overriding emotions being those of disappointment and annoyance.

When Pim returned from seeing Johan out, he sat back down at the table and put his head in his hands. ‘That was exhausting.’

Stella’s heart went out to him. ‘She reached across and touched his arm. ‘It was, but at least we’ve spoken to him now.’

‘For what good it did. I’m not so sure I feel any better for hearing all he had to say.’

Stella couldn’t argue with that. ‘Amongst all of his bluster, there’s one thing that I’m very glad to have found out, and it’s that I have an awesome half-brother living in the same town as me.’ A smile pushed its way over her face.

Pim looked up. ‘You really think that?’

‘Yeah, I really do.’ Her smile grew wider. ‘Please tell me you feel as happy having a half-sister living here.’ She laughed.

He smiled as he absorbed her words. ‘Yeah, I think it’s actually pretty cool.’ He paused a moment before saying, ‘Big sis.’

‘Little brother,’ Stella quipped back, making them both chuckle. At six-feet-five, Pim was anything but little.

‘You guys okay?’ Bill peered around the doorway. He looked relieved to hear them laughing.

‘We’re fine, my love.’ Pim beamed at his husband. ‘We were just saying how cool it is to have a sibling living close by.’

‘And a brother-in-law,’ Stella added, smiling over at Bill and pushing aside the turmoil Johan had created, her heart feeling suddenly so much happier.

‘Oh, yes, of course,’ he said, his face lighting up. ‘I hadn’t thought about that. I have a brand-new sister-in-law. Thatisvery cool.’ He strode over to her and enveloped her in a warm hug.

Sitting in Johan’s vacated seat, Bill said with a chuckle, ‘I know it’s a little early, but you two look as though you could do with a stiff drink.’

‘It was pretty intense.’ Pim nodded in agreement. ‘Though I think another caffeine hit will have to suffice rather than any of the hard stuff.’

‘Ooh, I totally agree,’ Stella said with a laugh. ‘If I had a drink this early I’d be in danger of sliding off my chair and ending up in a heap on the floor, snoring loudly. It so wouldn’t be a good look!’

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