Carlotta emerged from the bathroom, her face pale. ‘I’m just going to get straight to the point,’ she said. ‘I went to the medical centre with Spencer and Chris this morning. The test results were back, as you know.’
‘Oh Christ,’ said Grace quietly. She knew what was coming.
‘Matthew is Leon’s son,’ said Carlotta dramatically, not even thinking about what Grace was going through until she saw the colour drain from her sister’s face. ‘But it’s worse than that.’
‘What can be worse thanthat?’ Grace asked, almost screaming.
‘Leon is notourfather.’
‘What?’ screeched Violetta.
‘There is no DNA match to Leon and the test. He is not our biological father.’
Grace burst into tears.
Violetta slumped in her chair. ‘What the hell?’
‘I know,’ said Carlotta.
Grace sobbed loudly. Spencer mistook her sadness and sat on the arm of the chair she was on. ‘It’s OK, sweetie,’ he said uselessly.
‘I know it’s OK, it’s fucking great!’ screamed Grace, and she started to laugh.
Violetta joined in her relieved laughter while Carlotta stared at both of them.
‘I know, I know,’ said Grace. ‘Trust me, it’s a good thing.’
She told Carlotta the burden of her secret with Matthew in Spain. Carlotta’s face turned white with anger. She said nothing, instead, she held Grace for a long time.
‘I’m OK,’ said Grace. ‘Really I am.’
Once the sisters had settled down they sat staring at each other. Then they looked at Spencer.
‘So if Leon is not our father then who is, Spencer?’ Violetta asked him pointedly.
‘I have no idea,’ he said.
But Grace noticed his eyes not quite reaching Violetta’s. ‘I think you do know, Spencer,’ she said.
‘You think it’s me?’ he asked quietly.
‘Care to take a test?’ asked Carlotta. ‘It’s not like Birdie is going to be able to tell us the truth.’
Spencer stood up and walked to the window and stared unseeingly from it.
Violetta walked over to him. ‘Are you our father, Spencer?’ she asked quietly.
Spencer looked down, so elegant in his suit. Age had been kind to him and he still remained single, although certainly not without his fair share of women.
It all started to make sense to Violetta now. He had never married, he remained a part of their and Birdie’s lives over the years. Protecting her the only way he knew how, through legal documents, turning up when things were hard.
‘You love our mother, you love Birdie. I think you have always loved her. Is that right, Spencer?’ she asked gently.
Spencer nodded and continued to look away.
‘So what happened?’ she probed.
Spencer turned to her, his eyes wet with tears. ‘I do love her. I always have. Even when she came back from Paris with Leon on her arm. I was devastated but she loved him more than she loved me. It was passion, you see. Leon had passion but I didn’t have much of that. I am a boring man and Birdie needed excitement.’
