‘I believe I must be your father,’ he whispered, covering his mouth with one hand while reaching for Bruno’s with the other. Skye watched as Bruno, who she realised had also been staring at her, spotted his father’s hand searching for his and quickly took it in his own.
Bruno was the first to react. ‘It seems so, Dad.’ His face was expressionless for a few seconds and Skye wondered what his next reaction might be despite his bravado before, insisting he was ready to hear anything his father had to share.
Bruno’s gaze moved to Joe. ‘Well, mate, when you mentioned your friend was looking for her father, I’m not sure why but it never occurred to me that it would be mine.’
Skye felt Joe’s fingers twitch slightly before he spoke. ‘I probably should have thought this out a bit better,’ he said apologetically.
Bruno shook his head. ‘How were you to know?’ He turned his attention back to Skye. ‘It seems likely that you’re my big sister.’
Breathless with shock, even though she had half expected this to be the result of their meeting, Skye swallowed. ‘It does, doesn’t it?’
As if they had shared the same thought, Skye moved her gaze from her half-brother to her father. ‘This must be a big shock for you, er, Carlos,’ she said, wondering why she was asking such a silly question. Of course it was. ‘How do you feel about it?’
He rubbed his face with his hands and didn’t reply immediately. ‘I’m shocked. Stunned. Happy to know I have a daughter.’ He grinned. ‘You have two more brothers to meet, but I shall leave that up to Bruno and Joe to arrange if I may.’
‘Of course, Dad.’
Carlos reached out to take Skye’s hand. ‘Mostly I think I’m sad to have not been able to share any of this with Annie. Or to have missed so many years of your life.’
The depth of the sorrow in his voice threatened to make her cry, but aware she needed to lead this conversation in some way and keep it as the happy reunion she wanted to memorise and share with Gran, Skye forced herself to stay calm.
‘We have missed a lot,’ she said as his fingers held on to hers. ‘But we have time, thankfully, to make up for some of those lost years.’
‘No time to waste, though,’ Bruno said.
Fearing she was about to be told she would soon be losing her second parent so soon after meeting him, Skye forgot to hide her shock. ‘Why? What’s happened?’
Bruno gave her an apologetic look. ‘Sorry, I just meant?—’
‘What Bruno is trying to say,’ Carlos interrupted, ‘is that I suffered a heart attack last summer.’ Skye’s heart ached to hear such a thing. Carlos raised his hand. ‘It’s fine. I’ve needed to change my diet, take up a bit of exercise and get used to taking pills, but if I take care of myself there’s no reason why I can’t live for many years yet.’ He smiled. ‘We will have time to get to know each other, I promise you.’
‘I can’t tell you how happy that makes me,’ she said truthfully.
‘And me. I have many questions to ask you about your life. About dear Annie.’
‘Maybe we should arrange to meet up with Sandra when she’s back from her mini break,’ Skye suggested, liking the idea of learning about her mother’s earlier life from the pair who seemed to know her so well.
‘I’d like that idea very much.’ He patted her hand. ‘May I hug you?’
Skye couldn’t think of anything she would like better. She stood. ‘Of course you can.’
They walked around the table to each other. She stepped into Carlos’s open arms, trying to take in the unusual sensation of being held by the man who was her father. Committing every sense to memory, Skye didn’t think she could ever find the words to share how this felt with anyone.
Skye wished she knew whether he was married to Bruno’s and the other boys’ mother. Where did he work? What had his life been like for the past twenty-plus years? She knew so little about this man they all now assumed was her father and she had so many questions she needed to ask him, but now wasn’t the time. All she needed to do right now was make the most of this first time with him and hope that there would soon be another opportunity to sit with him and find the answers to all the questions racing through her mind.
‘Thank you for finding me, Skye,’ he whispered as he hugged her.
Skye’s throat tightened with emotion.
They let go of each other and moved slightly back.
‘We will meet again very soon,’ Carlos insisted. ‘I’m sure you have many things you want to know about me as I do about you.’
Skye sighed. ‘So many.’ She laughed.
Joe stepped forward. ‘Bruno and I can liaise with each other and sort something out for you both if you like?’
‘Sounds good to me,’ Carlos agreed.
