Strings Attached (39 page)

‘Adam...
’

‘Why couldn’t she say anything? Why didn’t she tell me you were a liar?’ Adam enquired, raising his eyes to meet hers.

‘Because I’m not a liar. Because, for the first time in eighteen years, I’m telling you the truth.’

Adam just looked at her. His eyes were brimming with tears. He looked pale and scared and lost. He looked like someone had just pulled a dozen crucial pieces out of the jigsaw of his make up.

‘Adam, I haven’t told you this to hurt you. I told you, because Mum’s sick and I want you to know that no matter what happens, I’m going to be there for you. And I wanted that to be on the proper terms, as your mum, not as your big sister playing some sort of guardian. Mum thought it was time you were told the truth and she was right,’ George tried to explain.

‘I can’t believe it. I can’t understand it. How? Why? And all the lies you must have told over the years!’ Adam exclaimed slamming shut the lid of the piano and standing up.

‘I was stupid Adam, I got pregnant very young. I was careless,
we
were careless, and I was alone and pregnant at sixteen years old.’

‘You didn’t want me?’

‘No, it wasn’t like that. I was scared, of being so young, of not being able to manage. But there wasn’t even a second when I didn’t want you,’ George spoke quickly.

‘Go on.’

‘Well, you know what Mum’s like. She felt let down by me, because I got pregnant, and she took over. She came with me everywhere, to all the appointments. Most of the time it felt like she was the one having the baby, not me, and that’s what happened. As soon as you were born she looked after you,’ George said, trying to hold back her emotion as much as she could.

‘And what did you do? Squeeze yourself back into your school uniform and go back to screwing boys behind the bike sheds?’ Adam snapped.

‘Adam, it wasn’t like that. I tried to look after you; I longed to look after you. I used to steal you out of the house just to have some time alone with you. But she never let me get close. One bath, a couple of nappy changes and then weeks would go by before she would even let me hold you again.’

‘And when I was older? Wasn’t there any opportunity, before tonight, to tell me the truth?’

‘I was scared. You were happy and Mum wanted things to stay stable,’ George said, knowing her answer wasn’t good enough.

‘Who’s my father?’ Adam questioned.

‘The boyfriend I told you about. Paul,’ George said.

Her hand instinctively rose up to finger the ring on the chain around her neck.

‘And he got you pregnant at sixteen and ran off and left you,’ Adam scoffed.

‘It wasn’t that simple, he had to move away. He didn’t know about you. He still doesn’t know about you.’

‘So you don’t know where he is now?’

‘No. But I’m sure we could trace him, if that’s what you want,’ George suggested.

‘No, it isn’t what I want. I have a father! Yeah, maybe he spends all his time drinking Earl Grey and watching golf, but he’s still my dad. And he’s the only dad I want to know!’ Adam blasted.

‘That’s fine. Of course he’s still your dad. Nothing has to change if you don’t want it to,’ George spoke.

‘Then if nothing has to change, why did you bother telling me?’ Adam asked, staring at her.

George let out a heavy sigh. It didn’t matter what she said. She could speak for hours and it wouldn’t make the situation any better. Adam was hurting. He didn’t understand why he had been lied to. His whole past was being broken up and analysed in his mind. She could almost see all the thoughts riding through his brain, as he stood in front of her looking angry, confused and vulnerable.

‘Like I said before, because Mum’s sick and we don’t know how that’s going to pan out. I wanted you to know I’m here for you. No more pretence, no more lies, everything out in the open. I know I didn’t choose the ideal time to announce it but
...
’

‘What if I don’t want you to be my mother?’ Adam snapped viciously.

‘That’s your choice. I guess I would have to live with it.’

‘And could you live with the fact that perhaps, after all this, I might not even want you as a sister?’ Adam continued.

‘You don’t mean that. You’re angry, I get that. I can’t imagine what you must be thinking, but give it time, to think about things properly,’ George suggested her heart up in her throat.

‘You think angry and upset covers it do you? How about betrayed and let down?’

‘We shouldn’t have kept it from you for so long. But the longer it went on, the harder it was to change things. But, there’s no reason to feel isolated, I’m here for you. I’ve always been here for you and that isn’t going to change.’

‘Isn’t it? I think that’s for me to decide,’ Adam said, moving away from her and heading towards the door.

‘Adam, don’t shut me out. Talk to me, shout at me, but don’t turn your back on me,’ George begged, following him.

‘Why not? You turned your back on me, gave me up,’ Adam told her.

‘I didn’t want to. Adam, please,’ George began tears finally escaping.

‘You still did it,’ Adam hissed.

‘Adam, please. We can work through this,’ George assured him.

‘I’m not sure I want to,’ Adam responded, opening the door.

‘Adam, don’t go. Please, not like this.’

‘You’ll have to call back some of the staff you fired tonight. I can’t be in a catering wagon with you, I can’t be anywhere near you right now, possibly not ever!’ Adam informed her.

He slammed the door shut in her face with such force, it banged open again and hit the retaining wall. A piece of plaster fell off onto the floor and George crumpled with it. She slumped to her knees, putting her face in her hands. Torrents of tears fell down her cheeks and her body wracked with sobs. Her heart was breaking.

And then a pair of strong arms were around her, pulling her into an embrace she so sorely needed.

‘Why did I tell him? Why did I go and tell him? I’ve lost him Quinn, I’ve lost him.’

He wasn’t going to listen to anything she said right now. Even if she told him to f**k off he wasn’t going anywhere. She needed him, whether she wanted to need him or not. They needed each other.

Thirty Five

When George woke, sunlight was streaming through the shutters of her bedroom. Her eyes felt grainy and sore, like she had been rubbing them with sandpaper.

She rolled over onto her side and was greeted by Quinn.

‘What the Hell are you doing here?!’ George exclaimed, sitting up and pulling the duvet around her.

‘You asked me to stay,’ he replied.

‘Did I?’

‘You were upset. You didn’t want to be on your own,’ Quinn spoke.

‘You shouldn’t be here. We’re over, you’re getting married tomorrow. I hate you,’ George reminded.

‘So you said last night when you hit me with a bottle of Jack Daniels.’

‘Did I?’

‘Yeah, right before you broke two strings on my favourite guitar,’ Quinn added.

‘I don’t remember.’

‘Listen, don’t worry about Adam, he’ll come round,’ Quinn assured her.

Adam. Suddenly her chest tightened and she remembered all the anguish of the previous night. She had told Adam she was his mother and now he loathed her.

‘You reckon? It didn’t sound that way to me. I’m sure he said he couldn’t stand to be anywhere near me,’ George spoke.

‘It’s just the shock and the anger talking. He’s young, he doesn’t fully understand how the world works yet. He’ll calm down,’ Quinn told her.

‘I’m not so sure. Sometimes he reminds me so much of his father. Paul was so stubborn, just like him. When he made a decision he stuck to it. He was headstrong and single minded. I thought they were good traits, but seeing Adam like that
...
’ George told him.

‘You two must have been some couple,’ Quinn remarked.

‘We were.’

‘And we are,’ Quinn said, taking her hand.

‘Don’t.’

‘Don’t what?’

‘Don’t say things like that.’

‘Listen, I have a rehears
al with the orchestra at eleven
, but the rest of the day I’m free. Let’s do something,’ Quinn spoke.

‘We can’t spend the day together. I’m not in this relationship any
more Quinn, I told you that. You had a chance when Roger confronted us, you didn’t take it. I don’t know why you’re in my bed now, but you need to get out of it,’ George told him.

‘You don’t really want this to be the end,’ Quinn told her.

‘I can’t deal with anything in my life right now apart from Adam. He’s my priority. I need him to understand why the truth’s been kept from him all these years and I need him to forgive me,’ George told him.

‘Forgiveness is going to take time.’

‘I know.’

‘
I
don’t have time,
we
don’t have time,’ Quinn reminded her.

‘Stop it.’

‘We love each other.’

‘I thought we did.’

‘Nothing’s changed except the paps took some fantastic x-rated shots of us and Roger had to kick in the damage limitation exercise,’ Quinn continued.

‘You’re not taking this seriously.’

‘Believe me, I am.’

Suddenly the door of George’s room burst open and Marisa entered without warning, eating cornflakes from a bowl.

‘George, we have to go soon. It’s almost
nine
and where’s Adam - Oh.
My.
God!’ Marisa exclaimed, seeing Quinn in George’s bed.

She dropped her spoon into the bowl and just stared at the scene, milk and soggy cornflakes drizzling out of the corner of her mouth.

‘Get out Marisa!’ George shrieked, pulling the bedclothes further up around her.

‘Oh.
My.
God! I knew it! I said it didn’t I! You! You and Quinn! Quinn and you! But, it’s the wedding tomorrow. He’s like getting married in twenty eight hours,’ Marisa continued.

‘Sshh, will you stop shouting!’ George ordered her.

‘I’d love a coffee Marisa, if you’re making some,’ Quinn broke in with a smile.

‘This is like seriously f**ked up! Mother! Mother!’ Marisa screamed.

‘Can you give us some privacy to get dressed?’ George ordered.

‘Mother! Mother! Quinn Blake’s in George’s bed! I told you! Didn’t I tell you?! It’s so gross, they’re like naked!’ Marisa shouted as she left, swinging the door closed behind her.

George got out of bed and hurriedly began dressing.

‘Now Marisa knows, you may as
well
put an announcement in
Star Life
magazine. Roger’s going to go ballistic and Finger Food will have made its last canapé for this gig,’ George said, putting a t-shirt over her head.

‘Come on, I’m sure she can be discreet,’ Quinn said, enjoying watching her dress.

‘Are you mad?! Marisa doesn’t know how to spell discreet, let alone know what it means. Don’t you care any
more? Aren’t you in the least bit worried about this getting out? Your wedding’s a day away. Roger’s worried, yesterday he looked like he was ready to have a heart attack. I mean, if you don’t care about this image you and Taylor are creating, why didn’t you stand up to him when he was offering me a handout?’ George asked him.

‘Do you think Roger having a heart attack would call the wedding off? Or do you think he would sweat his way right on through to the speeches?’ Quinn enquired.

‘It isn’t funny Quinn. I don’t even know if I still have a catering contract. I mean it
’
s one thing to sleep with the groom, it’s quite another to knock the bride unconscious,’ George fretted.

‘Of course you’ve still got a contract. I’m not going through all that ceremony shit to get dished up some shit someone else has knocked together.’

‘Is this all a joke to you?’

‘Yes, of course it is. Tomorrow I marry someone I can barely stand being in the same room as. Ha f**king ha!’

‘I need to tell Marisa and Helen about Adam. And I need to stop Marisa broadcasting anything she shouldn’t to the entire universe,’ George said, doing up her jeans.

‘Fine. We’ll do it together. But let’s at least have a coffee first,’ Quinn begged.

Marisa’s eyes were still out on stalks when Quinn and George came down from the bedroom. Helen had made a pot of coffee and Quinn helped himself to a cup and poured some for George.

He drank a bit and gave Marisa
the benefit of one of his well-
practi
s
ed smiles.