Page 83 of A Part of Me and You
‘How?’ She looks at me tentatively, like she already knows what I am going to say.
I take the photo of Matt from the bedclothes and I look at it for a second, then I look at Juliette.
‘It’s Matt,’ I whisper to her.
She gasps.
‘Oh Shelley! Shelley, really?’
‘Yes, really,’ I say and a shiver runs through me as Juliette takes this in. ‘Rosie is Matt’s daughter.’
Juliette swallows hard, her weary mind battling now to make sense of this all.
‘Please don’t judge him, but he really shouldn’t have been with you that night,’ I explain. ‘His relationship at the time was coming to an end and he said his name was Skipper in case anyone found out that he was messing around but I know that he’s going to love Rosie as much as I do. And I do love her, Juliette. Are you okay?’
She inhales deeply and then her tired eyes look directly into mine.
‘I knew we met for a reason,’ she whispers to me and takes my hand in hers. ‘I believe in fate, I really do. I was meant to come here and find you. I just knew it.’
I put her hand up to my cheek and I close my eyes for a few seconds to let this moment sink in.
‘I knew it too when I saw Rosie,’ I realise. ‘I never could let anyone into my life since Lily died, and yet here was this stranger, this sad little girl who I clicked with the moment I saw her. I knew there was something special about her and now I know why. We are family now. I always hoped that my mother and Lily sent Rosie to me to help me see love again but now I really believe it.’
Juliette stares at me in disbelief but with a smile on her face. She is exhausted.
‘You always said you would look out for her, didn’t you?’ she whispers.
‘Yes, I did. But now I’m not going to only lookoutfor your precious Rosie, Juliette,’ I tell her, ‘but Matt and I will lookafterher in every way we can if and when she wants us to. We will be there for her every step of the way for the rest of her life for as long as she needs us.’
Juliette goes a bit paler and she leans back again, sinking further into the pillow. Her eyes widen, then drop heavily again, and then she closes her eyes and a single tear drips down her cheek and on to her pillow.
‘I found him,’ she whispers. ‘I finally found him. Oh Shelley, I don’t know what to say right now. I – I honestly had no idea whatsoever and I hope you don’t think I ever did. This is overwhelming. It’s more than I ever could have imagined. So much more. But are you okay?’
I shake my head and put my hand on her arm. She feels a little cold to touch. She is weaker than she is letting on and I don’t think I need to drag this out any further.
‘You have nothing to worry about as far as I am concerned,’ I reassure her. ‘Rosie is Lily’s sister, imagine that, Juliette? I have seen so much death and loss in my life and it almost killed me too, and although my first reaction was to think that this was life’s cruel way of throwing me such irony, someone I just met showed me how to turn things around to a positive in every circumstance we face, and I choose to look on all of this as the most magnificent gift of all. This is not bad news for me and Matt, Juliette. This is the best thing that could have ever happened to us and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.’
‘Thank you,’ she mouths and I know it’s my time to go and let her rest. ‘Can I ask you a big favour, Shelley?’
I pause.
‘Of course you can,’ I tell her in sincerity. ‘Anything at all.’
‘Can you tell Rosie about her dad, about Matt, when the moment is right, Shelley?’ she asks. ‘I don’t think I can break it to her at this stage.’
‘Gosh, yes of course but are you sure you want it to come from me?’
She nods her head very slowly and licks her dry lips.
‘I’m so weak and sick,’ she says, ‘but I trust you more than anyone else to tell her after I go and please make sure she knows that I’m so happy about it all. You’ve done so much for us this week and now you have, through an incredible twist of fate, made my dying wish come true. You’ve found my daughter’s father and I know she will be loved so, so much. I can’t ask for anything more. I am happy. I will go from this life very content and happy.’
Juliette closes her eyes and sobs, squeezing my hand as she does and I realize that I am crying too, tears of sadness, happiness and joy all in one.
‘I am going to miss you so much, Juliette,’ I tell her, gasping now for breath between my free-falling tears. ‘You’re an amazing friend, woman and mother and I will look after your baby girl so well knowing that you are with us every step of the way. Sleep now, Juliette. Sleep and know that everything is safe with Rosie. She will always be welcomed at our home with her new family in this place that you loved so well.’
But Juliette doesn’t speak back to me anymore. Instead she just rests her weary soul and as she lies here in the silence of this room apart from the clock ticking and the rush of the sea outside, I slip away with my head bowed, hoping that I might one day see my very good friend again.
Now, I just need to break the news to my husband. Tomorrow can’t come quick enough.
