The Half Sister(83)

Lauren breathes in sharply at Kate’s admission. ‘I’m sorry,’ she says, somehow unable to think of anything more adequate. ‘I had no idea.’

‘Well, it doesn’t matter anymore, because after three years of IVF, we’re finally pregnant.’

Lauren feels winded. She had always assumed that Kate was concentrating on her career; happy to overlook any maternal urges that she may have had in favour of the next celebrity scoop. Her heart aches at how wrong she’d got it.

‘Oh my goodness, that’s wonderful!’ says Lauren, going to Kate, who despite her frosty expression, hugs her back tightly. ‘I’m sorry that it’s been so tough for you both.’

‘Congratulations,’ says Jess, awkwardly.

Lauren turns to Jess. ‘This is all my fault. If it weren’t for me, then we wouldn’t be in this mess.’

‘If it weren’t for you, I’d have no idea who I was,’ says Jess quietly.

‘You’re not exactly winning at that though, are you?’ says Kate. ‘You seem to be getting further away from the truth with every passing day.’

‘Meaning?’ asks Lauren,

‘Her real name is Harriet Oakley,’ says Kate, soberly. ‘She’s been in foster care most of her life and didn’t go to university, despite claiming she did.’

Jess’s eyes fill with tears as Lauren stares at her, open-mouthed.

‘That’s not possible,’ says Lauren eventually. ‘Jess’s flatmate is called Harriet Oakley. Jess was adopted by a loving family. Weren’t you?’

Jess looks down at the floor.

‘Weren’t you?’ cries Lauren.

‘I . . . I’m sorry,’ sniffs Jess.

‘What?’ chokes Lauren. ‘But I thought—’

‘I wanted you to think I had the perfect life,’ cries Jess. ‘I didn’t want you to feel sorry for me or think that I came here for any other reason than to get to know my family.’

‘But you said your parents—’ starts Lauren.

‘I know, and I’m sorry for lying to you.’

‘Everything she’s told you is a lie,’ says Kate, not getting as much satisfaction from revealing the truth as she thought she would.

‘Is that true?’ asks Lauren, dumbfounded, more hurt than angry.

Jess nods.

‘So Harriet Oakley is your real name?’

‘It’s my adopted name,’ says Jess. ‘The Oakleys adopted me when I was six and I lived with them for a year or two before going back into foster care.’

‘Why did you change your name to come up here?’

‘Because I wanted a new start,’ says Jess. ‘I wanted to wipe the slate clean of my old life and start afresh.’

‘But you can’t just make qualifications up and cite universities that you never went to,’ says Kate. ‘That’s fraud.’

‘How did you know to go to Bournemouth University?’ asks Jess.

‘Because I’m a journalist,’ says Kate. ‘When I smell a rat, I tend to follow its trail.’

‘And what did you find?’ asks Jess.

‘Let’s just say you’re leaving plenty of victims in your wake. Us, your employers . . . we’re all being fed a pack of lies.’

‘I just wanted the chance of a new life.’

‘I don’t know why you would have lied,’ says Lauren. ‘What difference do you think it would have made to us . . . to me?’

‘I wanted you to like me. I thought that if I told you the truth, you wouldn’t think I was good enough. You’ve both got such amazing lives – your jobs, husbands, children – your worlds are perfect. It was going to be hard enough to endear myself to you as it was, without the added stigma of a foster-care background and the most basic of schooling. I wanted you to think I was as personable and educated as you – not from the wrong side of the tracks.’

There’s a tension in Lauren’s neck that’s working its way up into her head, setting every muscle alight. She can’t believe that just an hour ago she was lying in Justin’s arms, thinking the only problem she had was wondering how she was going to keep away from the only man she’d ever loved. Back then, even that had seemed insurmountable, but how she wished now that it was her only problem.

‘Look, it’s late,’ says Lauren, holding her hands up in defeat. ‘I think we should take some time out.’

‘But what happens now?’ asks Jess forlornly. ‘Now you know the truth.’

‘Nothing’s changed,’ says Lauren softly, taking a stray piece of hair and tucking it behind Jess’s ear, like only a mother would.

‘But will you still help me find my mother? She might still be out there.’

Lauren can feel Kate bristling beside her. ‘I’ll do everything I can to help you, but right now I need to speak to Kate.’

Jess looks at her, wide-eyed. ‘Will you call me in the morning?’ she asks, almost inaudibly.

‘Yes,’ says Lauren.

‘Promise,’ asks Jess, sounding like a little girl.

Lauren’s heart feels like it might break. ‘I promise.’





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