“She knew about Suzette’s cancer, and my family was also pressing us to have children, so it was a tough time for her. Barbara and I were undergoing fertility treatment, so how could I tell her that I already had a child with Suzette? It might have broken her heart.

“I also felt surplus to your life and to Suzette’s, though there were many times I thought about getting in touch with you...”

Carla’s vision blurred. She’d never known whether she’d been conceived from a one-night stand, a loving relationship or if her mum even knew the identity of her father. Except for sharing the news with Diego, Suzette had taken the identity of Carla’s father to her grave. She dug her nails into her palm. “I can’t believe it’s taken me forty-two years to know about you, for us to meet.”

Diego’s face was also full of emotion. “We did meet once before,” he admitted. “Many years ago, in the hospital.”

Carla wrinkled her brow, trying to think back in time. “My fall from the horse?” she asked, recalling the only time she’d been injured in Spain.

“Yes. I was working there and remembered seeing you in the waiting room. Your hair and eyes were so much like Suzette’s it was like seeing her double. It had been twelve years since she’d sent me the photograph of you and I checked your name and address on a hospital form you completed. Carla Carter. My daughter and only child. I could not believe you were here! I was the doctor who drove you back to your hotel after your accident. You were in a lot of pain and it wasn’t the right time for me to tell you I was your father...”

Carla nodded numbly. “Twenty-one years ago.”

“I kept telling myself to reach out to you afterward. One day passed and then another and still I did nothing.” Diego hung his head. “Barbara and I kept trying for a family until we were well into our forties, but it did not happen for us. I’m not proud about keeping these things from her.”

He looked so lost and ashamed that Carla reached out and took his hand. A warmth slowly and surely washed over her, as if she was bathing in a sunny lagoon. She was with her father. Her baby was going to have a granddad. It was awful he hadn’t been part of her life for so long, but his explanations made sense. She understood why he’d hung on to a secret.

Diego’s shoulders relaxed a little. “As soon as I found out you were pregnant, I was overcome with pride,” he said, his voice lifting. “I have missed out on seeing my daughter grow up and I do not want the same with my grandchild.”

“That won’t happen,” Carla promised fiercely.

“Things will not be easy,” he warned. “I will need to tell Barbara...”

Carla thought about Babs’s fragile side that she didn’t allow many others to see. “Please be gentle with her. She’s noticed you’ve seemed happier and thinks you might have met someone else.”

“I looked that way because I’d seen you.”

They both grinned cautiously at each other.

“I had to come back to England to see you,” Diego continued. “I wanted to be here for you and the baby, and to see you walk down the aisle.”

Carla scratched her neck. “I don’t think my wedding is going to happen. Everything is stacked against it.”

Diego took time to think of his response. “The thing I have learned over the years from my patients, especially ones nearing the end of their lives, is to never give up hope. Listen to what your heart tells you, because if you ignore it, it can cause you great pain.”

Carla sniffed and nodded. “I’ll try.”

Hesitantly, Diego stood up and slightly raised his arms. Carla stood and stepped forward, too, and her surroundings fell away as she leaned into his embrace. She inhaled and Diego smelled of leather and lemon soap, just as she’d always imagined a father would. His hug gave her a shot of strength, making her feel like she could do anything, face anything. Even Tom.

Diego pressed his cheek against the top of her head. “Please don’t say anything to Babs about anything just yet. I need to work out how to tell her...”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

Neither of them heard or saw the door opening behind them, until a gasp told them they had company. Carla raised her head and saw Jess and Babs standing there. Her sister’s arms hung limply at the sides of her cotton dress, and Babs’s mouth hung open with horror.

Carla and Diego quickly pulled away from each other.

“I’m sorry. Are we interrupting something?” Babs asked, her eyes piercing into them.

“Babs and I met at Gran’s house,” Jess said. “What the hell’s going on?”

Babs curled her lips. “What exactly are you hiding from me?”

Diego moved and tried to take her arm. “I’m sorry, I need to tell you...” He floundered, struggling to find the right words.

He and Carla shared an anguished look and they knew there was no way out. They had to tell the truth.

Carla also didn’t want to lie to her sister, and without space and time to think of a more delicate response, she blurted out to Jess and Babs, “Diego is my father.”

Thirty-One

Tickets

The room seemed to turn into a scene from a stop-motion film. Jess jerked back and her eyes widened with shock. Babs bared her teeth and lunged at Diego. “You—” she shrieked.

“I can explain,” he said, trying to stop her from grabbing him. “Please.”

Carla stood in the middle, not knowing where to turn first. It was like she’d thrown a grenade and was witnessing the aftermath.

She watched Diego take hold of Babs’s arm, then lead her to the corner of the room, trying to calm her down. Babs clenched her fists and yelled at him, jabbing her finger in the air.

Jess turned on her heel and ran out of the office.

Carla sped after her, managing to catch her in the corridor.

“Sorry to interrupt your little family reunion,” Jess seethed as the two sisters stood outside the kitchen. “I’ll leave you guys to it.”

Carla upturned her palms. “Please don’t be like this, Jess...”

“Like what? Like the poor baby who lost her mother? Who’s been looking after your business and Gran and our bereaved aunt, while you’ve been having a great time sleeping your way across Europe? It’s a good thing your wedding is canceled.”

Carla’s mouth dropped at her sister’s words. In the heat of the moment, she could see why Jess might be overawed by everything. But this was too much. “You know that’s not true.”

Jess tossed her hair. “Don’t patronize me. You’re the one with the baby on the way, with the fiancé, and your business, and the memories of our mother. And now you’ve got a dad, too. Congratulations.”

“It’s not like that at all. You’re my sister and—”

Jess shot Carla a disdainful stare and pushed past her.

Carla stumbled backward and could only watch as Jess fled down the stairs.

“Half sister,” Jess shouted back at her.

Carla didn’t know whether to chase after her or to see if Babs was okay. She sped back into her office to find Babs sobbing in Diego’s arms. He raised his head to look at Carla and his eyes swam with pain.

She took another step forward, but he shook his head and mouthed, No, not now.

Carla crept backward out of the room. She hurried down the stairs and opened the door, trying to phone her sister when she couldn’t see her anywhere. Outside, the sky was murky, heavy rain starting to pelt down. Jess is only wearing a dress, Carla thought as her call rung out. Her sister didn’t pick up.