Page 125 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

I shrug. “Listen, I know you don’t want to have anything to do with the father of the baby—”

“Youwill be this child’s father.”

I shake my head. “Lemme finish.”

“Okay.”

I smooth my hand over her rounded stomach. “Growing up, there was a part of me that knew I was different to Finn, to the rest of my family. The way they looked at me, treated me. And when the truth came out it confirmed what had niggled me all that time. What I’m sayin’ is the child will always wonder. If I was told the truth from when I was young, it would’ve made all the difference. Trust is everything.”

“Oh, Jerry. I get it, I do.” She shakes her head. “But I don’t know this guy or what he’ll do when he finds out.”

“No doubt it’ll complicate things, but what would you rather, our child figuring it out and landing on this bloke’s doorstep one day, with hate in their heart, resentful for how they were kept in the dark?”

“No, of course I don’t want that. I thought it’d be better this way.”

“I know, but you need to trust me on this. And I’ll be here for you. Whatever happens.” I pull Liv into my arms and hold her as silence stretches between us.

“What do you know of your mother?” she whispers. “Did you ever find her?”

I lean onto my side and sweep the wayward strands of hair from Liv’s face. “No. Sugarloaf Ridge was her sanctuary for a time. Skylah was her name. Whilst it was never spoken out loud, my Aunt Bernie knew she’d been abused. The bruises, the way she held herself.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“It’s why I won’t ever tolerate a man puttin’ hands on a woman. When that prick gripped your arm in the pub, I couldn’t stand by.” I clear my throat. “As for Skylah, we never found her, despite how hard we tried.”

When Mum and Dad told me and Daynah the truth about my real father coming to the property, and how he said he’d taken care of Skylah, it was as if a part of me knew she was gone. She’d died by his hands.

“What about her family? No other leads?”

I scratch at my temple and let out a soft chuckle. “Well, as it turns out, last year I found out I have a sister.”

“Really?”

“And again, this isn’t common knowledge, but Daynah, Finn’s wife-to-be, is my sister.”

Her brows jump. “Oh wow.”

“It’s a whole other story. But the long and short of it is she’s my full biological sister.”

She stares at me for a second or two. “I knew there was something special between you both. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it though.”

“It’s a long story, but in a nutshell, Daynah came to town to discover the identity of the Bakery boy. She was also abandoned at birth, so the story was personal for her. Apart from the description of her mother, who wore a daisy print dress the day she gave birth, all she had was a sketch that she’d left behind. An owl sitting at the base of a crescent moon.”

I take out the worn letter from my wallet. “This was tucked inside my blanket when she left me.”

Liv unfolds the paper with small cursive writing.

My dear, sweet boy,

I’m leaving you in the arms of Sugarloaf Ridge because this town signified hope for me, for you. The first time I came, the day was blue and bright, a contrast to the red earth. This town embraced a stranger as you grew inside me. They welcomed me like a member of their large family. Their hospitality drew me back, month after month until I could no longer see my feet beneath my rounded belly. They fed me and put a roof over my head when I had nowhere else to go.

I thought I could protect you on my own, but like last time, I failed. You had a beautiful sister. Sweet and precious, but she was so small, so fragile. I would’ve given my heart for her broken one but they told me there was nothing I could do. Saying goodbye to her broke me, broke my spirit. My only comfort is knowing when she grows her wings, one day we’ll meet again.

You may never understand why I left you. Please know that I had no other choice. There are things you never need know, but please trust this was the best possible outcome for you.

I could never let him find you.

I knew here, you’d be safe and you’d receive the childhood and love you so richly deserve.

---