The Girl Before Eve (27 page)

“Okay, well I’ll keep my phone on…you know…in case you need me in the night.”

She smiled at the sweet gesture being made by this wonderful man. She wanted to thank him again but instead could only manage a nod of her head as emotion erupted from her body once again.

“Oh, Lil, I’m so sorry. I’m just so, so sorry.” He squeezed her to him as she sobbed into his black suit jacket. The same suit jacket he had worn at Eve’s funeral. Lily clung to him and poured out her grief for her father and for her unspoken heartache at loving the man before her so very, very much. She was filled with so many
if-onlys
that her heart felt like it would never mend. Ever.

Lenora looked on with a sad smile.

♥♥♥

Lily dried the last of the dishes and placed them back in the cupboard. Lenora poured them both a glass of wine and sat down at the dining table. Sighing, Lily placed the dishtowel on the drainer and joined her mother.

Lenora reached across and squeezed Lily’s hand. “So when are you going to tell him, mi querida?” Her little touch of Spanish made Lily smile. No matter how much her accent had changed, her terms of endearment remained in her mother tongue.

Lily took a gulp of her wine and scrunched her brow. “Tell who what, Mama?”

Lenora gave Lily the look that told she was on to her. “Oh, Lily…come on, Mija, I think you know what I mean.”

Lily shook her head. “Mama, I really haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about.”

Lenora sighed and patted her hand. “You are my only daughter, Lily, and I want you to be happy.”

“I know that, Mama…of course I do, but what are you trying to say exactly?”

Lenora pulled her lips into a line and frowned. “Mija, you have loved that boy since you were tiny. Am I wrong?”

Lily feigned ignorance but her eyes dropped to the floor, a telltale giveaway. “Who are you talking about, Mama?”

Lenora laughed as she rolled her eyes. “Oh goodness me. I really can’t believe you are being so stubborn, Mija!” She shook her head. “Adam of course. You have loved him for so very long. Do you think it may be time to tell him so?”

Lily’s eyes snapped up. “I certainly do
not
, Mama!” She swallowed hard. “And…and how long have you known?” she whispered.

“Lily, I have known since you were five years old. You and he were inseparable. Me and Gwen always said you would one day marry, but then he met Eve and I sat by and watched your heart break. I cannot tell you how hard this was for me and your papa.”

Lily’s lip quivered. “Oh, Mama, I
can’t
tell him. There would be no point. He thinks of me as family…like a sister. It makes no difference how I feel.”

Lenora squeezed Lily’s hand again. “But, darling, how do you know this? You have never given him a chance to think about how he feels. All you have tried to do is match him to another. This has not been a good thing.”

Lily fiddled with the stem of her glass. “I really can’t tell him. What would I do if I told him and then he confirmed that he really
doesn’t
feel the same? I’d lose my best friend in the world, Mama. I can’t risk that.”

“But what if he has felt the same all this time? What then?” Lenora looked at Lily with pleading eyes. “Surely he deserves to know.”

“Mama, please… We’re just not meant to be.”

Lenora smiled. “You know, when I met your father I thought the same. There I was, a Spanish waitress working hard to get money for my family and in walked the most handsome man I have ever seen. He looked older, but I was so taken by him.” Her eyes became glassy. “I was the only one who could speak English and my English was not so good, but I went over to the group of young men and could hardly speak when he looked at me. I was with another boy at the time. I thought I loved
him
. But the way I felt the first time I saw your father, Lily, words cannot describe it. I just…
knew
. The way you know about Adam. My parents were so angry. They forbid me to come to Scotland, but I love him so much I do it anyway. And I never look back, Mija. I never regret a day.” Her voice wavered and a tear escaped. She quickly wiped it away. “I fear that you will never fall in love with another until you know how Adam feels about you. This is why I say you should tell him. You should never have regrets, Lily…
never
.”

Tears cascaded down Lily’s face as she listened to her mother talk about her father. She understood fully what her mother was saying but still she felt trapped by her own feelings. “Mama, I can’t risk losing him from my life. If I told him, he could wind up feeling awkward around me. I couldn’t bear that. He is the most important man in my life with papa gone. I…I love him so much that I’m prepared to watch him fall in love again just so that I keep him in my life. If he’s happy then I’ll be happy. If I lost him, Mama…” A sob escaped her throat and her mother leapt to her feet.

Coming around the table, Lenora wrapped her arms around Lily. “Please don’t cry, darling,
I do understand…really I do…I just wish things could be different…maybe if I speak—”

“No!” Lily gasped and widened her eyes. “No, please don’t say anything…
please
. I need you to promise me that you’ll keep this secret safe for me…
please
.” She gripped her mother’s arms as she pleaded.

Lenora cupped her cheek and nodded. “Okay…okay. I will say nothing, but please promise me if you get the
slightest
feeling that he feels something, you will tell him, si?”

“Mama, if
ever
things change, and I get the
slightest
inclination that he is in love with me…believe me…I
will
tell him. Just don’t go getting your hopes up, okay? It won’t happen.” She kissed her mother’s cheek.

Her mother kissed Lily’s forehead. “I’m not so certain, Mija.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Lonely Pup In a Christmas Shop
(Adam Faith)

December 2010

“I’ve got it!” Lily exclaimed as she and Adam sat in their favourite coffee shop.

“Oh shit…is it contagious because if it is I’m fucking out of here.” Adam pretended to get up.

“Oooh, aren’t we the funny one?” She pursed her lips and slapped his arm.

“Ouch! Oy! Okay, what
have
you
got
exactly?” He was filled with trepidation. And there was no wonder considering the last
great idea
that Lily had saw him registered, unbeknownst to him until later, with a dating website.

“Instead of a woman…you need…a pet!” she announced with a dramatic flourish of her arms.

“Are you fucking having a giraffe?” Adam laughed.

“No…but you could! Well not an actual
giraffe
obviously. Maybe something a bit smaller? A cat perhaps?”

He shook his head in disgust. “A cat? Seriously, Lil? I think you’ve had a temporary lapse in sanity. I’m allergic,
remember
?”

She scrunched her face. “Oh yeah, why do I keep forgetting that?”

He leaned toward her. “Erm…it’s obvious… Did you hear what I said about the temporary lapse in sanity?” He leaned back again. “Although I’m beginning to think it’s not so temporary,” he mumbled.

She narrowed her eyes and pointed at him. “You think you’re funny, Adders, but me and the rest of the world, we know differently.” She gestured around them.

“Gee thanks… Anyway, I couldn’t have a cat even if I
wasn’t
allergic.”

She cocked her head to one side. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

His turn to roll his eyes. “Because I’m not a lonely old woman.”

“Ha! You could’ve fooled me.” She snorted.

“Fuck off.”

“Honestly, Adders, you’re sometimes more like an old woman than any old woman I know.”

“Yeah…well… You’re…you…oh fuck off.”

She began to laugh hysterically. “Brilliant come back, Adders, as always so very quick witted.” She guffawed slapping her leg.

He folded his arms and sulked as she wiped at her eyes. It was actually good to see her laugh, even if it was at
his
expense. Again. “Yeah, I can just see it now… Kids running past my house not daring to slow down in case
weirdo-stinky-cat-man
comes out and chases them. Great idea, Lil.
Great
.” He couldn’t help but laugh himself at the image.

“I can just imagine you in your dirty string vest surrounded by cats and smelling of wee.” She threw her head back and howled again.

He held up his hands. “Right…right…I think we’ve established that me getting a cat is a
bad
idea, Lil.”

She calmed herself down and dabbed at her eyes with a paper napkin. “Okay, so not a cat then. What about a dog?”

He thought for a few moments and raised his eyebrows. “Dogs
are
really good company.” He spoke his thoughts aloud.

“They
are
. They love unconditionally. So even though
I
know your jokes are shit, it wouldn’t matter to
Rover
. He would love you
in spite
of that fact.”

“Again, Lil, fuck off…and who calls their dog
Rover
?”

She continued, ignoring his question. “I could imagine you with a dog, Adders. Let’s face it. You’re a teacher so you only work part time. It’d be perfect.”

His mouth dropped wide open. “Part time? You
are
having a giraffe! Have you seen how many hours I put into marking…and planning…and…and…marking.”

“You already said marking.”

He folded his arms across his chest. “Yeah well, I put a hell of a lot of hours in, thank you.” His tone was indignant even though he knew Lily was winding him up.

She laughed some more. “You’re sooo easy to wind up. It’s just like shooting fish in a barrel.”

“A fish! Now there’s a good pet,” he said matter-of-factly.

“A
fish
?
Now
who’s having a momentary lapse in sanity?”

“Yes but a fish doesn’t need walking or feeding expensive food or—”

“Or loving or cuddling. Fish are shit pets and you know it. A fish is a lazy-man’s pet. Fish have no feelings.”

“I beg to differ. My Gran had a goldfish that used to know its name, and it used to come to the surface when it was feeding time.”

Lily shook her head and crossed her arms. “Adam, the fish was called
Bob
. Every fish thinks it’s name is Bob, you idiot. And you can’t
train
a fish.”

“But a dog is so tying. I mean, okay, so my mum would
love
to come around and look after a dog and walk it whilst I’m at work, seeing as Dad won’t have one at home, but…they’re tying.”

“And, pray tell, what would a dog be keeping you from
exactly
?”

He looked to the ceiling in the hope of finding the answers scrawled up there. Clearly he was losing this argument. In fact, he was actually considering this ridiculous idea. “Stuff that I have going on…you know…in my life and shit.”

“Ahem…Adders, when you’re not…how did you put it? Oh yes,
marking and planning and erm, marking a bit more and shit
,” she mocked him in a fake deep voice. “You sit at home watching Monty Python, eating crisps, and annoying the hell out of
me
. You could do all of that with a dog. And more. You could go for nice long walks in the Cheviots. You could snuggle up on the sofa and cry into its fur when you watch
Love Actually
—”

“Hey, that film is sad! It’s got unrequited love and…and a guy who’s a widower like me…and…and that little kid who loves that little girl singer…it’s
really
sad, Lil.”

She reached across and patted his arm condescendingly. “Of course it is, Adders. Well, maybe the first three times you watch it. Then even
you
should know what to expect after that.”

He sat in quiet contemplation for a few minutes. “So I should get a dog then?”

“I think so. We could go and look at the weekend! They have to come and check your house over to make sure it’s big enough, and you have to show that you’re a responsible adult…” She pursed her lips. “Maybe I should be there when they come around…you know, so that there
is
a responsible adult there.”

“Ha ha…very droll.”

♥♥♥

Following Lily’s crazy, hair-brained suggestion and Adam’s subsequent acquiescence, a team from Animal Welfare came out to assess Adam’s home and living situation. After proving that a dog wouldn’t be left unattended for long periods of time and that he could take care of a pet, Adam received approval. He wasn’t sure who was the most excited about this situation, Lily or himself.

The day of reckoning arrived. Adam picked Lily up and they made their way to the kennels to choose a furry friend. She was acting like a teenager and he couldn’t help but smile.

“Oooh, I wonder who’ll pick you, Adders!” she said as she bounced up and down in the passenger seat.

He scrunched his face and eyed her cautiously as if she was some kind of escaped lunatic. “Erm…hang on…
I’m
picking
it
…not the other way around.”

She snorted. “Good grief, it’s obvious you’ve never owned a dog in your life.”

He chuckled and shook his head as he glanced over again at his hyperactive friend. “What are you on about, Lil?”

“Just wait and all will become clear, Adders.”

♥♥♥

They arrived to a cacophony of barks and yelps as the rescue home manager showed them through to where the animals were cared for. The greetings from the friendly canines became louder as they began to walk down the aisles.

A lump lodged in Adam’s throat as he looked at the dogs, all of which needed good, caring homes. “Oh God, Lil, how do I choose? I’m going to feel like such a shit not taking them all.” He ran a hand through his hair.

She squeezed his arm. “Don’t worry…you’ll know. Trust me.”

As they passed by each kennel, dogs lurched up vying for their attention, tails wagging frantically, each trying to bark the loudest. Suddenly, Adam stopped and stared down at a scrawny looking black dog with a big head. The dog sat there, tail swishing along the floor, head cocked to one side. He was what was known as a Heinz 57. Basically, no one knew what breed he was supposed to be. His ears were pricked up and his big brown eyes gazed up at Adam. He had a white patch of fur on his chest and was almost smiling, if that were possible for a dog.