At last ‘A life’
By Julie D Cole
Chapter 46 Lunch at Browns.

‘Chris in truth I don’t know.’

But you and Aunt Judith, err mum, were lovers and you must have known.’

Chrissy it’s true that it was six months before she died that Judith and I last made love and she reacted badly to my reluctance to leave my wife and family. For a while she tried to make me jealous and she was having an affair as I said.’

‘Are you saying that somebody else might be my father and not you?’

‘I’m saying I don’t know because I never had the courage to discuss it with your Gran or your mum nor to arrange blood tests to find out. In any case they wouldn’t hear of that and they were both devastated. Particularly your Gran who was rejecting you, blaming Judith pregnancy and me on the accident.’

‘I was not welcome at all and on top of that I had problems at home to sort with an unhappy wife and two daughters to look after.’

‘You ran away from the situation then?’

‘Not really. I met your mum to try to sort things out, that’s Jennifer who is really your Aunt Jennifer, and after a lot of discussion with her fiancé, she had decided to delay her wedding and they both took you into their care.

Your dad was at the hospital with Jennifer and your Gran when Judith died and he named himself as your father when the hospital administration staff talked to them. Then you were officially registered.’ ‘Chris was the name that Judith chose. Christopher for a boy and Christine if you were a girl.

‘Yes I know Dad’s name is on my birth certificate along with Miss Jennifer Shute, my mum, registered as living at home address. But when mum told me I took a closer look and it does say Judith. The writing is in black ink and is smudged. Dad’s is very clear.

So I never looked closely because I’d no reason to think it was Aunt Judith that was my mum. Mum always clung onto my birth certificate anyway and I hardly ever used it.
I understand and I’m sorry it’s confusing and really you should be talking to Jennifer and your dad about this.’

‘But now I don’t really know who is my dad. My dad put his name on the certificate but was it you or even somebody else that she’d met?’

‘Well your real dad might be me but not according to Jennifer since she knew who it was.’ ‘When I visited her she let me hold you and then gradually she opened up and we talked for almost 2 hours.’

She convinced me to go and leave them and make peace with my wife and she’d take care of you. She said she didn’t think I was your father because on the night she was killed she’d argued with Judith because she was drinking too much.’ ‘She knows who your real father is but she wouldn’t tell me.’

‘But if she knew then why did she let dad register as my father?’
‘ Chris it was a family decision and I was outside the family.’

‘But surely it was illegal.’

‘I don’t think so and of course in any case there was a lot of grief about so there was likely to be confusion. It was convenient and if it was wrong then your mum and dad had to live with their decision.’

‘I was tearful by now and I excused myself. l had to go to the bathroom. Kate had not said a word and I looked at her as I excused myself.’

‘Did you know this when you gave me the job as your PA?’

‘Yes, I’m sorry but until now I didn’t know all the details that dad has just explained.’

I burst into tears and hurried away from the table. I needed to get home.
Kate followed me and put her arms around me.

‘Chrissy, would it really be so bad if I was your sister,?’

I think my father was very nice to explain this and he never meant to hurt you. He hasn’t questioned why you became Chrissy though I’m sure he will be supportive. He just wants to make up for past mistakes and to let you know how much he cared for Judith and your family. He asked me to help him find you and it was a big surprise that we worked in the same Company.’

‘Do you want to know a co-incidence?’

‘What?’

‘The day I first saw you in the lift was the day after dad had been showing me some old photographs since he was feeling sad. It was the third anniversary of mum dying. And we went out for dinner in York and he stayed over with me. He had brought some photos with him for me to scan and save.

As we were going through his shoebox of photos there was a photo of Judith and another of your mum and dad with you at your christening. It had a message on the back from your mum so I asked him who it was. Then he showed me the photo of Judith, your real mum, and he said she was his star student and that he’d been very fond of her.’

‘But why did that have a link to me?’

‘Because you silly sausage, when I saw you in the lift it reminded me of the photo I’d been looking at. I knew that dad wanted to tell me more so I called him and said that I’d seen someone who looked like Judith in our office building.’

‘But I didn’t look like a woman at that time I was working as Chris and had been their ages.’

‘I was ‘Billy no mates’ with not much happening in my life so I guess I was just like Mr Cellophane Man in the song. You know, everybody would look right through me.’

‘Well there you are then, you were wrong. I didn’t walk by you I saw you. Come on be positive because I don’t want you to withdraw after you’ve done so well. You’ve become very popular and you’re certainly not Ms Cellophane, far from it.’

I smiled a little bit, certainly when I recalled a song in ‘Chicago’ where the man who played Amos, the cellophane man sang it so well. I suppose we can’t all be the stars like Richard Gere or Catherine Zeta Jones.’

‘ What was his name?

‘ That just proves my point I don’t know his name. It was Thingy Majig the Cellophane actor.’ Kate was laughing at that and I did feel a bit better.

She said we should go back to her dad but I was still wanting to talk. She told me that he didn’t believe it when I told him that I’d seen you and you looked just like Judith.

‘He says I’m always enthusiastic and optimistic and that he didn’t believe it.’ He said it would be like finding a needle in a haystack or the same chance as a winning lottery ticket being blown through the office window onto my desk.’

‘So how did you find out if I was related to Aunt Judith?’

I didn’t I got Jessica to help. She didn’t believe it either but she did agree that you looked like a girl and she came up with the idea to treat you as a girl and to invite you to go away with the girls for the weekend.
‘Hmm, well at the same time she couldn’t wait to step on me in my opinion.’

‘She was protective and she got very jealous when I met James and then she defended me when his girlfriend turned up.’

‘After that I said you should come and work for me and then I might find more information.’

‘So it wasn’t a fluke that I got the job?’

‘No I decided to cancel the hire of the girl from the employment agency and decided I would give you a chance since you knew the business and were very qualified.’

‘So as you see it seems my intuition has been working overtime and I was right.’

‘How about we go back to lunch and don’t get too deep into discussion with dad.?.Are you ready?’
‘I guess I felt a lot better. ‘I don’t feel any further forward but at least I understand now about some of the things that happened.’

‘Thanks for helping me. I know you might think that I was weak but I think we should give people chance and no need to bully them. I thought the girls in the office would work hard when deadlines needed to be met.

I just don’t see them working so hard for Jessica.’. ‘They would have done anything for me.’

‘Trust me Chrissy I know what I am doing and look at you now as an example.’ ‘Which job do you prefer?’

We arrived back at the lunch table. The head waiter was impatient but at least Professor Harper was content with a glass of red wine and ‘The Times’ newspaper.
‘Now then girls ‘What are you going to have?’ I liked that it made me feel that I was accepted.

It was as if nothing had happened and I just turned to Kate and said ‘Men.’
Then we both cracked out laughing. ‘Yes Men, they are only good for one thing Chrissy so take care’

‘Really?’

‘Yes paying the bill.’

Professor Harper looked over his glasses ‘Now now Katie dear that’s enough of that. I’ll never get rid of the Dowry that I’ve set up if that’s how you speak about us men. Who will marry you?.’

I smiled at them both. What a wonderful relationship and what a nice sense of humour. No wonder Judith had liked him.’

‘I’ve ordered you girls some soup, I hope that’s alright.’ ‘Thought you might need a bit of colour in your cheeks and so I chose Spicy Carrot and Corriander but I couldn’t get two for the price of one. No point coming here again if they won’t haggle. Money doesn’t grow on trees you know.’

He was so nice that I wished in my heart that he might be my dad too.

Over the main course of salmon and fresh vegetables he told me how close he was to my mum and dad. He said that they’d accepted him even though he was married and they’d all had some fun weekends together.

I liked your dad young Chrissy but he did have an eye on Judith that concerned me at the time don’t you know. He was a bit of a rascal your dad. Your mum could control him though. But whatever anybody might think I can assure you he was a perfect gentleman after Judith was killed. He took the responsibility and I like that in a man.Well done to him.

‘Kate said ‘Don’t be so sexist dad, what about me then don’t I take responsibility?
‘OK, OK you do so I lose again.’

‘Professor Harper I do wish my dad hadn’t left us. I missed him a lot. I don’t know where he is but my sister Julie kept a contact with him and now I feel so bad.’

‘Well Chrissy, I’m not sure what he’d make of you just now in your new role but just like me he’d accept you as you are. I think he’d also probably see Judith when he looked at you and that would be enough. No questions asked..’

We all missed her after her death yet he was the man who took responsibility and he did it for the family.’‘Would you like to meet him.’

‘If you asked me last week I’d have said no but right now I feel like I’d just hug him and never let him go again.’

‘Do you really mean that?’

‘Yes I mean it from the bottom of my heart.’

‘You know everybody deserves a second chance in this world and David was caught in the middle. He would love to see you and your mum and your sister again and try to mend a few bridges.’ ‘But he says your mum is a pretty strong woman and so it is not easy for him.’ ‘He needs somebody to help.’

‘Have you spoken to him? How do you know?’

‘Yes I have spoken to him recently. I’m getting on a bit now you know and I’d like to put my affairs in order. Can’t have Katie here distracted when I’m gone, I need everything to be neat and tidy.’

‘Dad don’t be silly. You’ve got years ahead of you yet.’

‘God willing m’dear but can’t be too complacent, things need sorting you know.’

‘I was beginning to like him more every minute. He was as old fashioned as the Browns clock above us.

‘So then young Chrissy I’m due to call your dad back today to let him know how we’ve got on.’ ‘What time is it now? I can’t trust that old clock up there.’

It’s quarter to two.’

OK girls let’s finish up here and you can drop me at the railway station if you will.’ ‘I left the car at home since I expected Kate would be on Blueberry phone all through lunch and I’d be drinking a nice Bordeaux. I was wrong is it switched off?’

‘Dad it’s a blackberry’

’Well I don’t know I’ve only just gone cordless at home and now the world is full of new fangled gadgets. We won’t need to get up in a morning soon! They’ve even got Eye Pads that can see everything we do.’

‘Dad!!’’

‘OK girls here’s what we’ll do. ‘Chrissy you sit there for a minute whilst I go outside to call your dad since I don’t want these nosey parkers at the side of us listening any more. I’m sure they’ve heard everything. I think they even moved their table over.,

‘Katie do you mind coming with me to settle the bill. Chrissy will be alright on her own a bit won’t you love?’

‘Yes I’m OK, I haven’t finished my wine yet and it looks expensive.’

‘That’s what I like to hear lass, waste not.’

Off they went.

A few minutes late my mobile rang and I reached in my bag to answer it. It said ‘private number’.

‘Chrissy m’love it’s Darren, Got to dash or I’ll miss my train. Kate is just running me to the station and she’ll come back to collect you in about an hour.’

‘Oh OK that’s fine I can look in the shops if necessary. But Professor Harper I never said thanks, and I hope that I will I see you again?’

‘Course you will lass be sure of that.’

Anyway young Chrissy just to say that if you look across towards the exit where that young lass who makes the reservations is sitting you’ll find somebody waiting to see you.’ Tall chap in a blue suit. ‘Doesn’t like to wear a tie.

Anyway I’ll see you soon my love, You deserve everything that’s coming to you!’

To be continued………………