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Now it was all in the open, Edie was actually eager to tell them about her beautiful mum, the missing member of their family. ‘So, do you want to know about your daughter?’
He smiled. ‘I would that. It’s all been a lot to take in, that I had a child and missed out on their life, like I missed out on yours.’
He sounded sad rather than bitter and for this Edie was glad because she had already accepted her gran had made mistakes but still, she didn’t want anyone being harsh on her. Life had been tough, and she’d done what she thought was best.
It was then that Edie reached over and picked up her book that was still lying face down and as she did, Joe finally spotted the cover and pointed, looking curious, as though he was trying to work something out. Then he pointed and asked, ‘That book, is it Romeo and Juliet?’
Edie nodded. ‘Yes, Mum took it everywhere with her. Apparently it’s one of her old ones from school and her favourite. She once played Juliet and Gran says she method-acted for days before the show, all angst-ridden and am-dram. She used it as a diary of sorts and kept all kinds of things in it, stapled or paperclipped to the pages. Some have been sellotaped together it’s that tatty. This is how I found out about Martin, and then you, with Gran’s help.’
Joe had gone deathly pale and when he stretched out his arm, she noticed his hand was shaking. ‘Edie, can I see it, please.’
‘Sure.’ She raised from her seat slightly as she passed it over. Joe took it, carefully, reverently, and opened the cover, then began to turn the pages, touching each one as he went, reading the notes.
Edie noticed the look on his face, how still his body had become, rigid apart from the movement of his hand so kept her eyes on him as Jenny asked, ‘I’ve just realised, we don’t even know your mum’s name, you haven’t said.’
But Edie didn’t answer, mesmerised by Joe who was slowly removing a piece of paper from the book. She knew exactly what it was, she knew every single thing inside it. It was a hotel compliment slip and on it, someone had left her mum a note. Realising that something was wrong, Jenny followed Edie’s gaze and looked up at Joe whose eyes were now glassy, pools of tears about to fall.
‘Joe, what’s wrong?’ Jenny reached up and touched the arm that held the book.
‘Oh, dear God…’ Joe’s voice was a whisper.
Ace spoke next. ‘Dad, what is it?’
And then Edie knew. Could have said the words for him. It was so obvious. The pieces of a puzzle clicking in place.
‘Venus.’ Joe’s voice was sure and bold.
Jenny looked confused. ‘What do you mean?’
Joe glanced upwards, tears rolling down his face, his words catching as he spoke.
‘That’s who my little girl was. I met her.’ And then he laughed, sad and happy at the same time. Looking straight at Edie he almost whispered, ‘And Venus was her name. It was mine and Bobbie’s song and she called our baby after it, for us, in memory of our summer together.’
And before their eyes Joe crumbled, the book dropped to the table and the great six-foot-four hulk of a man simply lost control, slid onto a chair and collapsed in a heap, sobbing into his folded arms, inconsolable, mourning the daughter he never knew, but had met, just the once, many years before.
