‘It is delightful to meet you,’ the older man said, staring at her as if he was as mesmerised as her.
Does he recognise himself in me?she wondered, wishing she could gather herself a little better.
‘Sit here,’ Joe was saying, his hands lightly on her upper arms as he steered her to a chair.
Skye sat automatically, unable to think what to say. She was vaguely aware of Bruno saying something then felt Joe’s hand take hers under the table and give it a gentle squeeze. She glanced up at him and remembered to concentrate on her breathing and to be calm.
Able to focus again, she listened as Bruno explained how fascinated he had been when Joe had told her about Skye looking for her father on the island. ‘I remembered Dad talking about working at the Sunshine Springs Hotel many times and even recall going there a few times for an ice cream. It’s a shame it closed down a few years ago.’
Skye thought about Sandra saying she and Annie had worked at the Bel Amie Hotel. She knew she should mention it.
‘We met with Paul’s mother, Sandra, the other day and she told me that she and my mother, Annie, worked together at the Bel Amie Hotel.’
Unsure how Carlos might react, she was taken aback when his eyes widened, and he covered his mouth with his hands.
‘Dad? Are you all right?’ Bruno rested a hand on his father’s shoulder. ‘What’s the matter?’
Carlos took a deep breath and, looking at Skye, said, ‘You say your mother’s name was Annie?’
‘That’s right.’ He remembered her mum, Skye thought, relieved.
‘And that she was close friends with a girl named Sandra?’
‘That’s right,’ Joe said, still keeping hold of Skye’s hand.
She could barely breathe, sensing this was something momentous for her and Carlos.
Carlos raised both hands slightly and shook his head, giving a shocked laugh. ‘I remember them both well.’ He seemed to be struggling to remain calm.
He rested his hands on the table and took a deep breath. ‘I did work at the Sunshine Springs for three years,’ he said, without taking his eyes from hers, ‘but before then I worked for one season at the Bel Amie Hotel.’
Skye’s heart raced as he spoke, not daring to interrupt him.
Carlos’s gaze shifted down to his hands.
‘It’s fine, Dad,’ she heard Bruno say, his voice quieter than before. ‘I’m ready to hear anything you have to tell us.’
Skye pressed her lips together, not daring to make a sound as the realisation of who she could be to them dawned on Bruno, and his father realised he was about to share some of his past his son clearly hadn’t known about.
She watched as Carlos looked from his son to her and seemed to brace himself. ‘The reason I left the Bel Amie was due to a relationship that ended badly.’ He appeared to struggle to retain his emotion briefly before continuing. ‘The lady in question’s name was Annie.’ He looked at Skye but she didn’t dare speak. ‘Her best friend was Sandra,’ he added, his voice quieter and his hands clasped together. ‘There was a…’ he hesitated ‘…misunderstanding. Annie left without saying goodbye.’
Carlos stared silently at Skye, the misery still clear in his eyes. There was something else, she realised, unable to decipher what it might be. Recalling seeing a similar look in her mother’s eyes over the years, Skye realised it was regret. Feeling sorry for Carlos now and the young man he had once been and how much she must have suffered such a deep and lasting pain, Skye said, ‘You’re not the only one Mum did that to,’ she admitted, wishing she didn’t feel like a traitor saying it.
Carlos cast his eyes downward again. ‘I’m sure she had her reasons for doing so.’ Wincing, he looked Skye in the eyes once again, embarrassed. ‘For leaving me, I mean, not you.’
She smiled to show she understood and hadn’t taken his words out of context. ‘Please, carry on with what you were saying.’
‘I admit I struggled to come to terms with her going like she did. It affected me for many years afterwards.’
It clearly still did, she mused, miserably. How much lasting damage had her mother’s decisions left on him, herself and even her grandmother? Skye wondered. She realised he was staring at her and sensed he was building up to ask her something.
‘Please, ask me anything,’ Skye said, willing him to share what was on his mind.
Carlos looked at his son. ‘Go on, Pop. I’m happy to hear anything there is about you.’
Carlos sat up a little straighter. ‘May I ask when you were born?’
‘Of course.’ She told him her date of birth and watched as he mentally calculated back nine months. Skye watched as he registered what she already suspected and stared at her as no doubt what the consequences of what happened between himself and her mother meant to Carlos, Bruno and no doubt the rest of their family. And to her.
