Page 100 of Merrily Ever After
Emily blinked hard. ‘Do you mean that?’
‘Come on, Dad,’ I said, beating her to the bathroom. My heart was beating so hard I could hardly hear my own words. I’d just called someone Dad for the first time, andit felt amazing. I picked up his pyjama bottoms. ‘Let’s get you sorted. Lift one leg up and lean on me.’
‘And slip your arms in.’ Emily held up his top. ‘One, two, that’s it.’
Two minutes later, he was tucked up in bed and Emily and I washed the mugs and glasses and put them away.
‘Is it OK if I call him Dad, do you think?’ I whispered.
Emily beamed. ‘It’s all right with me.’
‘Merry?’ Ray’s muffled voice called from under his duvet. ‘There’s a pot of money on the bookcase, can you fetch it?’
I gave Emily a puzzled look and fetched what looked like the lid of a jam jar with several coins in it.
‘Is this it, Dad?’ I passed it to him, unable to resist trying out my new name for him again.
He took two pound coins and handed them to me. ‘One for you and one for your sister. Now bugger off and let me get some bloody sleep.’
‘Oh thanks, Dad.’ I looked at Emily and we exchanged secret grins.
We gathered up our bags quickly, stifling our giggles and headed for the door and let ourselves out.
‘Don’t spend it all at once,’ said Emily sternly, once we’d shut the door.
‘Sod that, sis,’ I retorted. ‘I’m blowing the lot on sweets.’
We collapsed with fits of laughter and staggered towards the lift, clutching each other for support. I held my sister’s hand and my heart felt full. She had filled a space that no man, no best friend, no career could ever fill. She had brought me home.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Emily
‘Your face when Dad came out naked,’ Emily snorted, as they exited the lift.
‘I was expecting a few revelations tonight,’ Merry replied with a giggle. ‘But that one took me by surprise. You’re brilliant with him, though. I was in awe, especially when I first arrived.’
Emily wrinkled her nose. ‘You have to find the funny side, otherwise your heart would break. It’s been exhausting, looking after him by myself this year since his health deteriorated.’
Merry hugged her. ‘You’re not on your own anymore. I’m happy to do my share of visiting and looking after him. But you’re the boss, you might have to help me understand his needs.’
Emily’s heart swelled. ‘You have no idea what that means.’
Merry took a breath in as if she was about to say something and then her mouth shut abruptly.
‘What is it?’ Emily probed.
‘It’s just, we don’t know for certain, do we?’ Merry frowned. ‘About being sisters, I mean.’
‘Look at us.’ Emily turned Merry’s shoulders until they were both facing a mirror, generously decorated with swagsof faux evergreen and silver ribbon. ‘Our colouring is identical.’
‘Could be coincidence?’ said Merry dubiously.
‘We know Sam and Ray were lovers. The timing fits,’ Emily continued. ‘And Dad seems convinced you’re his daughter.’
‘If only Mum hadn’t denied it,’ Merry said with a sigh.
‘From what Dad says, it sounds as if she was protecting you, she’d got a home for you both, and sorted her life out and she wanted to keep you safe. Perhaps inviting Dad into your lives was a risk too far.’
