Page 48 of The Stolen Child

It took mere minutes for Ciara to collect the sample and place it in a sealed tube and bag. She pulled a label from the form that Lily had signed earlier, then repeated the process for Zach.

‘That’s you both all done. We’ll be in touch as soon as the results come in. We can send them by email or registered post. Or you can come into the office to collect them.’

‘I’d like to collect them together,’ Zach said. ‘I can’t imagine opening mine alone.’

Lily realised she felt the same way. Over the past half hour, she’d begun to feel more comfortable in Zach’s presence.

‘If they are positive, you’re buying lunch,’ she said.

‘If they’re positive, I reckon I owe you a couple of decades of birthday gifts,’ Zach replied, and they were back to grinning at each other like idiots again.

‘That’s nice,’ Ciara said in approval. ‘I think you have a look of each other, you know. I’m not meant to say that, but there’s something about your smiles . . .’

Lily caught Zach’s eye, then looked away, feeling shy. Because a new feeling had crept into her that felt a little like hope.

They returned to the reception, and Zach pulled out his credit card as Lily tapped her smartwatch to activate Apple Pay.

‘I’ve got this,’ Zach said.

‘Let’s split it,’ Lily countered.

‘It was me who brought this to your door, so I think it should be me,’ Zach further argued. His jaw was set, and Lily could see he wouldn’t change his mind. This was something else she’d noticed about him: he was a determined man who liked to get his way. A trait that he shared with her mum.

‘I’ll wait outside,’ Lily said, and she made her way out into the sunshine. She looked up at the blue sky and searched the clouds for a shape – a silly pastime she’d enjoyed ever since she was a little girl.

‘See anything?’ Zach asked, looking upwards when he joined her.

‘I always see things in the strangest of places. Which incidentally is called pareidolia, some useless information for you! The false perception of seeing faces and shapes in everyday objects. It used to be considered a sign of psychosis,’ Lily said in a dramatic voice, as her eyes moved to the left. Then she paused when her eyes rested on a large shape in the clouds – it had a round body, with a smaller head, and two long ears.

‘Can you see it?’ Lily asked in almost a whisper.

Zach’s hand reached out and lightly touched Lily’s arm. He gulped loudly, then said in his own whisper, ‘It’s a rabbit.’

‘Like the one you had as a baby,’ Lily replied tremulously.

‘It’s like the universe is sending us signs to confirm I am Robert . . .’

Then they turned to each other and embraced.

NOW

August 2023

Kimberly

DNA Clinic, The Docklands, Dublin

Kimberly adjusted her cap, pulling it lower over her forehead. With her hand against her breast, she watched Lily and Zach gaze upwards at the sky.

She couldn’t determine what they were looking at, but she knew Lily had most likely seen something in the clouds, as was her way.

Zach reached out and touched Lily’s arm. And then she said something, and turned to him, and they embraced.

As Kimberly watched them, a swarm of butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She had been unable to eat or sleep ever since Lily had told them about Zach. The possibility of seeing Robert again made her heart skip a beat.

Could she risk moving closer? Yes, if she was careful. Kimberly straightened her oversized sweatshirt. She had dressed in the most inconspicuous outfit she could find, hoping to blend in with the crowd. But now she felt like a spotlight was shining on her. Check out the middle-aged woman failing to hide in plain sight.

She supposed she could walk over to them and announce herself. Kimberly was a grown woman and in charge of her own actions. But she’d promised Lily she’d stay away from Zach until they knew one way or the other if he was Robert. That was all well in theory. But she could not stay away any more than she could stop the sun from rising tomorrow morning.