Sennen gave him the look she saved for people who thought event management was ‘just booking a venue and some food’. ‘You clearly have no idea,’ she harrumphed.
‘I’ll take some leave,’ Thom added.
‘Thank you.’ Sennen then let out a little laugh, a cheeky grin on her face. ‘Well, it certainly won’t be Thomas getting married for a while, will it? What was it you were saying aboutnobody ever dumping Thomas Jory? Looks like you’ve been unceremoniously dumped twice in one day!’
Rita smiled. Even Thom laughed. ‘I’ll let you have that one… for now. Poor Poppy, she showed her beautiful colours last night, too and look how I treated her.’
Rita smiled faintly. ‘Yes… she did. She was certainly there for me.’
‘And she went straight to Hilda on the stretcher,’ Jago added seriously.
‘Go after her, Thom,’ Rita said softly.
Thom hesitated. ‘I’ve slept with someone else, Mum. I’m not sure I could forgive her if she did the same.’
‘Say sorry and mean it, love. Forgiveness goes hand in hand with love. It’s her choice what she does with it, but at least you will have been responsible and faced the mess you’ve made.’
Thom screwed up his face. ‘Oh God, OK. I don’t know… I…’
Jago reached for Rita’s hand, a quiet squeeze passing between them.
‘I walked down with Poppy, so I’ll hop in with you, bruv. Bye, Mum.’ Sennen kissed Rita on the cheek. ‘And take it easy, promise.’
Rita smiled. ‘Bye, darlings. Take care and I’ll see you later.’
Sennen’s voice lifted. ‘Actually, I’m going to get my van and go and see Granny. Where is she exactly?’
‘Trevellen General,’ Jago piped up. ‘I’d avoid the coast road today, though; it will be busy.’
‘Good idea. I’ll come with you,’ Thom added.
‘Casanova needs to sort out his love life first.’ Sennen grinned.
‘Thinking on it, I think I’d rather face a cage full of snakes than a scorned Poppy Wallis, so let’s see.’
‘Thomas!’ Rita gave him the look only a mother can give and get away with.
Once alone, Jago pulled Rita into a tight embrace, holding her for a few minutes, saying nothing.
‘I’m so sorry again for putting you through this, Rita, and so sorry you had to be in the middle of all this drama today.’
‘If life were straight, we’d never learn how to bend without breaking, would we?’
Jago let that sit with him for a second. ‘You’re amazing, Rita Jory.’
She pulled away and grinned. ‘I know.’ Her face fell. ‘And I’m so sorry you thought Amélie was yours, if only for a split second. But I can’t say I’m sorry we never have to see that duplicitous bitch again. And that son of mine… what is he like?’
‘He’s twenty-four, that’s what he’s like’ – Jago smirked – ‘and he clearly wasn’t thinking with his brain, let’s just say that.’
‘Good job he did overhear.’ Rita yawned. ‘Or you’d be twenty grand down, paying maintenance for a child you were never going to see. That’s the worst kind of wickedness. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t tell me as soon as Thom told you.’
Jago looked pained. ‘I probably got that wrong too. I wanted to make her wait, be uncomfortable at her dad’s when I knew all she wanted was to be back with her family. I also wanted to be able to say to you that she’d gone forever.’
‘It’s better I saw it all first-hand then,’ Rita sighed, yawning.
‘I so wanted the fourth of June to be special.’ Jago sighed. ‘It seems a lifetime away when we were excited for our proper loved-upreunion.’
‘Well, you messed that up, Jago Jenken. Big style, didn’t you?’ Rita clocked his downturned face. ‘But you were doing what you thought was right. You just didn’t do it the way I would have done, which doesn’t mean it’s wrong. You just did you.’ She sighed deeply. ‘If it had just beenherneeding a place to stay, and not a little girl in the equation then things would be very different now, though, I can assure you.’
