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We stare at them, none of us seemingly sure how to handle the situation.
“You must have questions,” Laura says, taking her seat next to the solicitor’s chair. “Why don’t we get those out of the way before we let Mr. Dickson continue?”
Daisy sits and folds her hands in her lap. They observe us with a strange mixture of sympathy and curiosity on their faces.
As always, Mom gets to her senses first. She’s not as composed or compassionate as Laura. Her face isn’t a mask of serenity and warmth. She’s battling to hide her shock, anger, and confusion. She’s not hiding the loathing in her voice. “Did you have an affair with my husband?”
Laura utters a sigh. “I wish you didn’t have to find out like this, Margaret. Really, I don’t. It was Ben’s wish to keep us a secret.” She glances at Daisy, another soft smile transforming her features. “We loved him enough to respect his wishes.”
“It’s Mrs. Edwards to you,” Mom says, sitting ramrod straight in her chair. “And you can spare us your apologies. The only things I’m interested in are the facts.”
“Oh, I’m not apologizing for what we shared with Ben,” Laura says. “Our feelings were genuine and pure, just like yours, I’m sure. Ben and I weren’t a fleeting, dirty affair. Daisy and I were his second family.”
“Second family?” Mattie exclaims. “What does that even mean?”
Laura turns her attention to Mattie. “You must be Matilde. I hope everything that’s happened isn’t putting too much stress on the pregnancy. It’s not ideal, but your father always said you’re as strong as your mother. You’re even prettier in real life than in the photos I saw.”
Mattie flinches. “He discussed us with you?” Her voice rises in volume. “He showed you photos?”
“Of course he did.” Laura gives her a sad look. “He loved you. Very much.”
“Like he loved you?” Mattie asks with a wry chuckle.
Laura’s answer is patient. “Yes. He loved us too. I guess that was the problem, why he couldn’t choose.”
“How long?” Mom asks, pressing her lips into a thin line. “How long have you been sneaking around behind my back?”
Mattie cups Mom’s hand, a gesture no doubt meant to urge my mom not to lose her composure and dignity.
“Daisy and Sabella are the same age,” Laura says with meaning.
The cruelty of it is too much. I can’t stand to look at them, but I can’t look away either.
Mom isn’t to be deterred. “How long were you together before she was conceived?”
Laura sighs again. “Eight years.”
Oh my God. That was before Ryan was born. My brother’s face turns chalky as he processes the news.
“I know what you’re going to ask next,” Laura continues, “so I’ll just tell you everything. We met at a fundraising event. I was a journalist for a pony newspaper in George back then. We didn’t expect to fall in love or for the bond between us to grow so strong. I knew from the start that Ben was my soulmate, but I tried to keep my distance.
“I guess some things are simply too strong to be kept apart. When the relationship got serious, Ben asked me to leave George. He was protecting you, you see. He didn’t want any rumors to start that could hurt you. He bought the house in Hout Bay, and I moved there.”
“All this time,” Mom says. “You knew. You knew he had a real family, yet you continued to play house with him.”
“We didn’t play. Far from it. We were his real family too. The only difference is that you got his surname.” Laura chuckles. “I’ve always been a little jealous of you for that.”
“You’re right,” Mom says, pushing to her feet and pulling herself to her full height. “That’s everything I wanted to know. Now that I do, I don’t ever want to see you again.”
“Margaret—” Laura catches herself and corrects her mistake with a small smile. “Mrs. Edwards, this is not how I wanted the reading of Ben’s last wishes to go.”
Ryan gets up too, standing in solidary support next to Mom. “Whydidyou come here, Laura? What’s your real agenda, except for ruining my family’s lives and stealing whatever peace we could’ve found in our grief?”
“Don’t forget, Ryan,” Laura says, “Daisy and I are also grieving. We’re mourning a father and a life partner who we loved dearly. As for your fears, you needn’t worry. Ben left us with enough to live comfortably and to take care of ourselves. We’re not here to make claims on your money.”
“No.” Ryan narrows his eyes. “Why would you? Daisy is ten million richer, isn’t she?”
A half-smile curves Daisy’s mouth. She holds Ryan’s heated gaze, hers cool in turn.
