both knew the previous couple of years had been a lie. She had lovers in Melbourne, and I wasn’t able to afford the life she craved. So she left.” Shaking his head, he continued. “Gone the next morning. With you. I never expected that. Not in a million years. The following weeks, I spent most of my time in Melbourne looking for you. Hotels, airport, small bed and breakfast places, even hospitals. You two had vanished like dust.”
He turned to look at Connor. “I hated her for taking my son. I worried myself sick, and I was hospitalised six months later with a heart attack. But people in Fermosa Bay cared and rallied behind me to help out. I put all my efforts into building six hotels along the coast. Doing even better since Ethan has taken over the business side of things, and Niall—” He sat back down again. “It’s time to organise the will so I can sleep in peace.”
“Jack—”
The old man held up his hand. “I know you don’t need my money. Most of the assets and cash will go to Ethan and Niall for the obvious reasons. Some of it will go to my little girl—” He laughed when he met Connor’s stare. “Little Emmy has always looked after me. Bringing me flowers to hospital, playing cards, and even sneaking in the odd chocolate. But I want to leave you something as well. You have brought me some of the happiest years of my life. I’ve always treasured them and will never forget them.” Jack placed his hand on his son’s. “And hopefully I’ll be able to remind you of some of the memories. Connor, part of my current will states for you to have this house and any reasonable amount you would need to settle in Fermosa Bay.”
Connor stared at Jack, hearing the words but not able to process them. “I can’t—”
Jack didn’t reply, and Connor stood, heading to the window. Staring out into the distance, he wondered what life would’ve been like if his mother had stayed in Fermosa Bay instead of the big city of London.
“Have you always lived here?” he asked, without looking at his father.
“No.” There was the sound of a long sigh. “I had a small house on the other side of town. Near the school. Near the cliffs, just across the road from the main beach.”
Across the road from the main beach. Connor remembered his grandparents’ small house south of London. He’d had to share a room with his mother until she’d found a job and they’d moved into a small apartment. He’d been alone most days, but never as lonely as he’d felt at boarding school.
Could he be happy in a small town with a few thousand people? Would he be able to pick up on the friendships here or would the years have pulled them apart?
Watching a couple of Rosellas in the distances, he recalled his father’s words about his mother leaving on her own will. Had the last twenty-plus years been based on a lie?
Did Jack lie?
Shaking his head, he turned to face the old man. “I can’t accept that.”
Jack nodded. “You said you’re here as long as I need you. I need you to find out the truth and remember your childhood.”
“I can’t just—”
Jack stood and stepped next to him, placing his hand on his shoulder. “How about I give you some space to think it over and later on we could head to the waterfalls for a nice lunch. Ethan might have some time to join.”
Nodding, he actually looked forward to spending more time with his old friend. And the idea to find out more about the area appealed to him as well.
Two hours later, Connor sat in the car with Jack on the way to Ethan’s. It’d surprised him how quickly the old man had everything organised. One phone call to Ethan to invite him for lunch and another one to Jacqui for some sandwiches and meat for the barbeque. The last fifteen minutes he’d directed Connor from one corner of the house to the other to gather the esky, drinks, chairs, and a portable barbeque. He was quietly amazed at his dad’s organisational talent.
Connor drove along the main
He turned to look at Connor. “I hated her for taking my son. I worried myself sick, and I was hospitalised six months later with a heart attack. But people in Fermosa Bay cared and rallied behind me to help out. I put all my efforts into building six hotels along the coast. Doing even better since Ethan has taken over the business side of things, and Niall—” He sat back down again. “It’s time to organise the will so I can sleep in peace.”
“Jack—”
The old man held up his hand. “I know you don’t need my money. Most of the assets and cash will go to Ethan and Niall for the obvious reasons. Some of it will go to my little girl—” He laughed when he met Connor’s stare. “Little Emmy has always looked after me. Bringing me flowers to hospital, playing cards, and even sneaking in the odd chocolate. But I want to leave you something as well. You have brought me some of the happiest years of my life. I’ve always treasured them and will never forget them.” Jack placed his hand on his son’s. “And hopefully I’ll be able to remind you of some of the memories. Connor, part of my current will states for you to have this house and any reasonable amount you would need to settle in Fermosa Bay.”
Connor stared at Jack, hearing the words but not able to process them. “I can’t—”
Jack didn’t reply, and Connor stood, heading to the window. Staring out into the distance, he wondered what life would’ve been like if his mother had stayed in Fermosa Bay instead of the big city of London.
“Have you always lived here?” he asked, without looking at his father.
“No.” There was the sound of a long sigh. “I had a small house on the other side of town. Near the school. Near the cliffs, just across the road from the main beach.”
Across the road from the main beach. Connor remembered his grandparents’ small house south of London. He’d had to share a room with his mother until she’d found a job and they’d moved into a small apartment. He’d been alone most days, but never as lonely as he’d felt at boarding school.
Could he be happy in a small town with a few thousand people? Would he be able to pick up on the friendships here or would the years have pulled them apart?
Watching a couple of Rosellas in the distances, he recalled his father’s words about his mother leaving on her own will. Had the last twenty-plus years been based on a lie?
Did Jack lie?
Shaking his head, he turned to face the old man. “I can’t accept that.”
Jack nodded. “You said you’re here as long as I need you. I need you to find out the truth and remember your childhood.”
“I can’t just—”
Jack stood and stepped next to him, placing his hand on his shoulder. “How about I give you some space to think it over and later on we could head to the waterfalls for a nice lunch. Ethan might have some time to join.”
Nodding, he actually looked forward to spending more time with his old friend. And the idea to find out more about the area appealed to him as well.
Two hours later, Connor sat in the car with Jack on the way to Ethan’s. It’d surprised him how quickly the old man had everything organised. One phone call to Ethan to invite him for lunch and another one to Jacqui for some sandwiches and meat for the barbeque. The last fifteen minutes he’d directed Connor from one corner of the house to the other to gather the esky, drinks, chairs, and a portable barbeque. He was quietly amazed at his dad’s organisational talent.
Connor drove along the main
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