‘That was when I assumed I had covered up before you saw anything. It’s different now.’
Why had he brought up the damn shower incident when he hadn’t needed to? ‘Look, I really am sorry. I’ll forget I ever saw anything,’ he said, knowing it was going to be impossible, but desperate to at least attempt to appease her.
‘Really,’ she said doubtfully. ‘You think you can do that?’
She clearly didn’t believe him. He didn’t blame her.
They sat in silence and Joe tried to think of something helpful to say. He wished he hadn’t seen her naked. He already struggled to act as if he just saw her as a friend because that’s what she had said she was happy for them to be. Now all he could think of was how she was even more perfect than he had originally thought.
Skye sighed, interrupting his thoughts. ‘Look, it’s done now and we can’t do anything about that. I’d rather not refer to the matter again, if you don’t mind.’ She gazed out of the window for a few seconds before focusing her attention on him once again. ‘I don’t have long if I hope to trace my father during this visit to the island, so your offer to help me really is appreciated.’
‘You’re taking me up on it?’ he asked, relieved to be able to get their friendship back on a level footing again.
‘I am.’ She shrugged. ‘When I’ve worked out how, I’d like to take the next step to find him.’
Joe thought about Skye’s father and whether he had an inkling that he had a daughter at all. Maybe Skye was the only child he had fathered? If so, surely he would be delighted to be located and meet up with her.
‘What are you thinking?’ Skye asked. ‘Because I can almost hear your brain whirring it’s working so hard.’
Joe laughed loudly, happy that she felt relaxed enough with him to tease him. He shared his thoughts with her.
‘Gosh, I hadn’t thought of that.’ She frowned. ‘I’m not sure if that makes me feel more inclined to find him or more anxious about it. I’ve never really had anyone, parent-wise, putting any pressure on me. My mum was either working or socialising and we rarely spent quality time together. I mostly had the feeling I was a mistake she hadn’t banked on, and that she’d needed to make decisions she otherwise wouldn’t have made because of me.’
‘Like what?’ Joe asked, sad to hear Skye think of herself in such a way.
‘Don’t get me wrong, I know she loved me, but I’m not sure she would have chosen to have a child.’
‘Why would you think that?’
She took a moment to answer. ‘Because I was mostly left with Gran while Mum was out working, or away somewhere.’
‘I’m sure that wasn’t the case. Maybe she was just very busy.’ He gave her comment further thought. ‘Or perhaps your mum just wasn’t that good at showing emotion to someone else.’
‘I suppose so.’ She gazed at him for a moment. ‘Thank you, that was a kind thing to suggest. I think I’m going to try and believe that was Mum’s way with everyone, not just me.’
‘Good.’ Joe was relieved to have helped her even in this small way. ‘With regard to your father, I’m sure we’ll find him somehow, even if it takes a bit of time.’
Skye smiled at him. ‘Gran will be thrilled if I do locate him. I can’t help sensing that she feels a little responsible for not thinking to push my mum to tell me more about him, even though I don’t blame her.’
‘It sounds as if you have a lot of love and care from your grandmother.’
Skye gave his comment some thought, then nodded. ‘I do. She is an amazing woman and has always wanted the best for me, and for Mum.’
‘I’m glad.’ She gave him an odd look and, not wishing to say the wrong thing again, Joe changed the subject away from her mother and grandmother. ‘I think the first thing we need to do is check out the hotels that were open when your parents worked here and look on social media for any information or photos about their staff, or even people who are posting about them. You never know, if you find your mother, then at least you’ll know where your father worked and we can take it from there.’
She beamed at him. ‘Now that is a good plan. I’ll get on to it first thing in the morning.’
18
SKYE
That night as she lay in bed trying to decide how best to start her search, all she felt like doing was crying. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t a crier, not usually. Maybe it was because her search seemed so hopeless. What she did know though was that she would never forgive herself if she didn’t take this opportunity to do something about it. But if she wanted to find information about her father, or anything to do with her mother’s younger life when she was working on the island, then she needed to get a move on and do it.
Deciding the best way to calm herself was to read through more of her mother’s notebook, Skye plumped up her pillows, rested back on them and opened the book. Then, realising she hadn’t opened the window, she threw the duvet back and got out of the bed. She heard a thud but couldn’t see what it could be from, so opened the window and turned to go back to her bed.
Spotting the notebook lying opened and face down on the floor, she picked it up and noticed for the first time that there was a space between the cover and the spine.
‘What’s this?’ she murmured, holding it up to the light and peering in, certain there was something there. Breathless with excitement, Skye went to her washbag and rummaged around for her tweezers, then carefully inserted them into the space and slowly withdrew a folded piece of paper.
