‘Who – Yousaf?’
‘Yes – in a good way. I know I said she doesn’t really remember him. She was too young when he left. But you are gentle and caring towards her just like he was.’
‘I’m sorry she can’t see her father.’
‘You do understand?’
‘Of course I do. I’m just sorry that your father doesn’t.’
‘So am I. Of course, it didn’t help that some time later, Yousaf wrote to me. I wasn’t interested in getting any communication from him, but because he didn’t have my address, he had written care of my father.’
‘Oh dear.’
‘Yes, precisely. My father passed on the letter. And I gave him strict instructions not to tell Yousaf my new address.’ Faye sighed. ‘Of course, the fact that my father found out I hadn’t told Yousaf my new address didn’t help our relationship either. I did read the letter, though. It was basically one long apology. Yousaf said he didn’t know what he had been thinking, and it had been all his overbearing parents’ idea, which was obviously no excuse for him going through with it, but he wanted desperately tomake things right.’
They fell silent again. Faye didn’t think there was any point going back to bed now. She stood up. ‘I’m going to get dressed.’
Jake was already dressed. He had slept on the couch in his clothes. He said, ‘Yes, I’d better head off.’ He paused. ‘It is a shame you can’t patch things up with your dad – for Natty’s sake. She’s a great kid, and they’re both missing out.’
Faye was at the lounge door with her hand on the doorknob. She turned to look at him across the room.
He quickly added, ‘Not that it’s down to you to repair the relationship. Your father is being completely unreasonable.’
Faye breathed a heavy sigh. ‘Actually, there is probably some truth in what he said about me being paranoid.’
‘I don’t agree at all. The guy was going to take your kid. I know Natty is his too, but it’s clear what his intentions were, to take her away from you, forever. You’d probably never have seen her again.’
‘The thought of that … it’s why I cut my father out of her life too.’
Jake looked at her, bemused. ‘But you said—’
‘Yeah, it’s not the case that he doesn’t want to see her. My father really liked Yousaf, and he still doesn’t believe that Yousaf wanted to take Natty back to Oman with him for good. I’ve always been afraid that Yousaf might contact my father, and …’ She trailed off.
Jake frowned. ‘And …?’ he prompted.
Faye sighed. ‘Sometimes I do think I’m paranoid. I had all sorts of crazy scenarios go round in my head, like what if Yousaf came back to England, and they agreed to meet up behind my back with Natty. I know it sounds crazy and far-fetched, but I couldn’t risk it.’
‘Faye, I understand completely.’ Jake stared at her solemnly. ‘It’ll never happen again, Faye – not on my watch.’
Faye held Jake’s gaze. She said, ‘He still gets in contact, leaves me phone messages.’
‘Your father?’
Faye nodded. ‘It’s always the same, suggesting we could still go back to the way things are, with him seeing Natty, if only I’d stop being so silly. He just doesn’t get it. Until he accepts my side of the story, I can’t do that.’
‘I need a drink,’ Jake said suddenly.
‘Bit early for alcohol.’
Jake laughed at the joke.
Faye said, ‘You want your coffee strong and black.’
He smiled. ‘You can read me like an open book.’
Not quite, Faye thought. He hadn’t opened up about his late wife, and she didn’t expect him to. I’ll go and make that coffee.’
Chapter 3
