Diana collapsed onto the bench and looked ahead, not hearing the traffic or the children anymore, just the vitriolic words of her daughter as they repeated in her ears.
She looked up at the clouds and wondered if there was an afterlife and if her father was laughing at today’s outcome.
‘Goodbye, Wendy,’ she said to the sky, and she walked back to her hotel knowing in her heart that she would never hear from her daughter again. Some pain was just too hard to cure.
43
Amanda
Amanda sat in silence for a few minutes after Diana had finished her story.
‘What an idiot. God she could be annoying sometimes,’ she said, and Diana laughed.
‘You can’t say that. She was hurt. You didn’t know what she went through as a child – it sounded like it was more than them being strict.’
Amanda shrugged. ‘I know but seriously, we could have known you all along. We could have hung out and I could have stayed for holidays.’
‘She did what she thought was right for her and we must respect that.’
‘You’re’ right,’ Amanda said. ‘But I will give her one thing.’
‘Oh?’
‘She never bad-mouthed you. She never mentioned you, so she didn’t say anything awful.’
Diana smiled. ‘That’s a win, I suppose.’
‘I’m sorry it went so badly,’ Amanda said.
‘I was so worried you had been turned against me. That’s why I went to these elaborate lengths to get you here; I was so scared to be rejected again.’
Amanda nodded. ‘I get it.’ She gestured to the room. ‘But you’re here now and we can live very happily together and do things in the garden. Also, I’m having my exhibition at the garden centre, so you can help with that. We’re going to have such a good time.’
Diana blinked a few times and then Amanda saw tears welling in the old woman’s eyes.
‘I never thought I would have this,’ she said. ‘I have never felt loved until now. You’ve done so much for me. I was lied to by Wendy’s father who said he would come back – Douglas was his name – and controlled by my parents, shunned by my daughter, so I let go of everyone else because I was afraid of being rejected again.’
Amanda shook her head. ‘You weren’t lied to by Douglas,’ Amanda said in a gentle voice.
Diana frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
Amanda sighed. ‘I went and met Helen,’ she said, causing Diana’s eyebrows to rise.
‘She was so lovely and loyal to you and she told me about Douglas. She was surprised he never came back.’
Diana said nothing so Amanda went on. ‘Simon and I looked into it, and I’m sorry to tell you, Diana…’ She paused. ‘He died on the trip he took.’
Diana took in a sharp breath.
‘But he was on his way back to you. He was coming back,’ Amanda said.
‘How do you know that?’ Diana’s lip trembled.
‘He was found with a gold ring in his pocket, and on the inside was inscribed,For Diana.’
A sob escaped Diana’s mouth and Amanda was instantly by her side, sitting on the arm of her chair and hugging her.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘You were cheated out of so much.’
