Page 63 of A Highland Family Affair

Judd got out of the van when he saw them approaching, a look of concern on his face. ‘Hi, Kerr, I was just messaging you. I’m not sure why but Will’s here in the cabin. He’s angry and looks like he’s been crying but he wouldn’t answer me when I asked what was wrong. He went into the cabin and shut the door. I didn’t like to interfere, so I thought I’d better let you know. I didn’t want to drive away and leave him as I was worried about the lad.’

‘Cheers, Judd, I’ll handle it from here. Thanks for staying, though, I really appreciate it.’

‘No worries at all. I’ll get going. I hope he’s okay.’ Judd climbed back into his van and drove away. After what Ali had imparted to her about Judd’s upbringing when she had visited the nursery, it was clear why he was so concerned.

When they reached the cabin, Kerr knocked on the door. ‘Will? Are you in there?’ His voice was strained.

‘Go away! I don’t want to speak to you!’ came a voice from inside. Olivia fired off a quick text to Charlotte to let her know he had been found.

Hi Charlotte. Will is fine. At nursery. Kerr talking to him. Please give them some space for a while and we’ll drop him home. Thanks. Olivia.

A reply came quickly.

Thank goodness! Thank you so much. Will let police know. Of course I’ll leave you to it for now. Please keep me posted. And please tell him I’m sorry. C x

Kerr glanced at Olivia, and she nodded in encouragement.

Kerr cleared his throat. ‘Look, Will, your mum’s worried sick so I’m coming in.’ Without awaiting confirmation, he opened the door and stepped inside with Olivia. Will was sitting on the old wing-back chair that had once belonged to Ali Gordon. Tatty old advertising posters for the nursery adorned the walls and there was a musty outdoor smell of damp soil and pine. Will’s head was low, his elbows rested on his knees and his hands were gripping his hair.

‘Hey, buddy. What are you doing all the way out here?’ Kerr asked gently.

Will lifted his head. His eyes were bloodshot. ‘Go away and leave me alone!’ he shouted. ‘It’s what you’re good at,’ he sneered.

Kerr took a step closer. ‘I’m sorry but I won’t do that, buddy. I’m worried about you.’

Will glared at him. ‘Oh, yeah? Well, one, I’m not your buddy and two, I know that’s bullshit! You don’t care about anyone! Least of all me!’

Kerr held up a hand. ‘Hey, hey. Mind the language, eh? And what do you mean I don’t care about anyone? That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?’

‘Oh, piss off. Stop trying to act like you give a shit because you definitely don’t!’ The teenage boy had tears streaming down his face and his voice broke as he shouted. ‘You made out to me like my mum was your dream woman and you pretended to be all happy and then you dumped her for no reason. And you didn’t care about me when I was born so why would you care now?’

Kerr crouched down before the boy. ‘I’m guessing this is all because your mum has told you about me,’ he said with a dejected sigh. ‘I’m sorry if you’re disappointed to find out I’m your dad, Will. But I actually didn’t know about you until a few weeks ago.’

Will’s brow crumpled and he shook his head. ‘Eh? Again with the bullshit. Stop lying for once in your life, you dickweed.’

Olivia watched Kerr’s jaw ticking under his skin. ‘Come on now, stop with the bad language, Will. There’s no need for it.’

Will’s eyes widened. ‘No need? No need? There’s every need! You’ve known about me for fourteen years and you never once tried to get in touch with me.’ He jabbed a finger in Kerr’s direction. ‘You never sent a single birthday card. You never came at Christmas. You never turned up for football matches. You were never at parents’ evening. You never came to see me and make sure I was okay. Instead, I was made to think my “dad”,’ he made inverted commas in the air, ‘was some snobby Hungarian bloke who didn’t give a shit about me and refused to even give me his last name. And all this time Tabor wasn’t even my real dad. And you were up here in your sodding castle playing lord of the bloody manor while I was in Hampshire feeling lonely and like no one loved me,’ Will sobbed. ‘You have no idea how shit that is. To want a dad so badly and for him not to want you back.’

Olivia’s heart ached for the poor boy and her eyes began to sting.

Kerr shook his head and his chin trembled. ‘You’ve got it all wrong, Will. I honestly didn’t know about you. If I had, I’d have⁠—’

‘You’d have what? Been father of the year? Yeah, whatever. Adults always lie.’ Will turned away from Kerr and pulled at a thread on the chair.

Kerr reached out but Will snatched his hand away. Even so, Kerr continued. ‘Look, I’m not lying to you, Will. I had no clue you even existed until your mum sprang it on me too. And just to clarify, she and I split up because I felt lied to just like you do. Now I’m not trying to get her into trouble. She was doing what she thought was right for you. She moved you here to check me out. To make sure I wasn’t some axe murderer. But she wanted us to know each other. She wanted me to be your dad. She just went about it… differently.’

Olivia was amazed at how magnanimous Kerr was being. He really had changed.

‘But believe me, if I had known about you when you were born, I would’ve been there. I maybe wouldn’t have won the father of the year award, admittedly, but I would’ve never let you feel like no one loved you, Will. I would’ve proudly given you my name. And you would never… ever have had to look out into the crowd at a football match and have no dad there to support you. I would have been there, shouting the loudest for my son. My son.’ He laughed through the tears that were now cascading down his face. ‘I’d have been terrified, obviously. But I would’ve been there. I can promise you that. And I would have loved you. I’m being completely honest that you were as much of a shock to me as I am to you.’ He paused and glanced at Olivia. She wiped her eyes and nodded. Kerr turned back to Will. ‘We’ve missed out on so much life together and that really sucks… It hurts, Will. It bloody hurts. But I’m willing to make up for lost time now if you’ll let me.’

Will continued to pull at the thread but he turned his face towards Kerr. ‘You didn’t know about me? Really? Tell me the truth, Kerr. Because I’ve just found out that my whole life has been a complete lie. For once I just want someone to tell me the truth.’

Kerr swiped tears from his cheeks and nodded. ‘I swear on all the new transplants.’

Will’s eyes widened. ‘All of them? All the ones we just planted?’

Kerr nodded and smiled. ‘Every. Last. One.’