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‘How dare you not marry my daughter when you made her pregnant? And you, Margaret—’ The glare he turned on her burned with anger. Incandescent and righteous, and exactly what she had feared all along. ‘We brought you up to be better than that. Giving yourself to a man without God’s blessing and love on your union makes you no more than a whore. You’re no daughter of mine. And if that child is yours, she’s a bastard forever. You’ve condemned her by your actions.’
His words lashed Meg like a whip, carving his anger into her heart. Breaking her heart.
Jennifer whimpered and turned her face into Meg’s shoulder. And just like that, Meg’s guilt and sorrow fell from her. She patted Jennifer’s back and rocked her gently. ‘It’s terrible that you feel like that, Father, but this is my daughter. She’s your granddaughter, no matter if you turn from her.’
Geoffrey’s arm settled on her shoulder again, and he stood close beside her. She felt his support wrapping around both of them and was grateful. ‘Jennifer is my daughter too. I love her like my own child, as much as I love your daughter. They will want for nothing with me, and I’ll protect them. It would be nice to have your blessing on our marriage, but if not, that’s fine.’
‘You’ll get no blessing from me. From this day forward, I have no daughter.’ He picked up his hat and pushed between them and was gone.
Meg’s mother’s face crumpled. Tears fell as she touched Jennifer’s head. Meg’s daughter turned and peeped at her grandmother.
‘My granddaughter.’ Then she exhaled, the gush of air shaky and final. ‘Send me a photo of her care of your oldest brother’s address. I’ll try to bring your father around.’
Meg nodded and gave her mother a brief hug before she hurried out to join her husband.
Geoffrey drew Meg down onto the sofa so recently vacated by her parents. ‘Now I’ve met your father, I understand your reluctance to tell your family. Mine is different. I can’t imagine them responding like that to the news of a wedding and a grandchild, regardless of the order they happened in.’
‘My father’s response is exactly what I expected, which is why I hadn’t told them about Jennifer. I was so focused on his anger I didn’t think about how my silence would affect Mum.’
‘Mummy?’ Jennifer lifted her head from Meg’s shoulder and stared with solemn eyes. ‘Who’s that lady?’
‘She’s mummy’s mummy, your grandma. She loves you almost as much as I do.’
‘Who’s that?’ Jennifer turned her gaze to Geoffrey.
He smiled at Jennifer but spoke to Meg. ‘It’s your choice when you tell her.’
No more secrets. I don’t want Jennifer to ever doubt I’m telling her the truth.
‘This is your daddy, and we are never going to go away again. We’ll live together always.’
Jennifer watched him while Meg’s heart thudded in her chest. Her daughter had suffered so many changes in her short life. What would she make of this one?
‘Howdedoo, Daddy.’ She held out her small hand as she’d seen adults do. As perhaps Vera had taught her.
Solemnly, Geoffrey shook her hand, holding it for a moment as he smiled at her. ‘Howdedoo, Jennifer.’ When he let her go, Meg stood.
‘Let’s get your suitcase unpacked and have a cool drink, shall we?’ Meg kissed her cheek then set Jennifer on the floor but held onto her hand.
‘Park, Mummy?’
‘After we’ve had a drink, okay.’
Jennifer nodded. ‘Daddy push me on the swing?’
A muscle ticked in Geoffrey’s cheek, but he nodded. ‘I’ll push you on the swing. Whenever I’m home and you want to play, I’ll push you on the swing, sweetheart.’
