The Ripple Effect Part 3

"Very happy. My parents already had three children but they took me in. I'm part of them now."

"Good." Natalie nodded as if confirming something to herself. "We think Joelle has been happy with us. She knows no other family, after all." She glared at him, daring him to promote his own claim.

But Shay was too surprised to argue. His spine straightened abruptly. There couldn't be two. He'd never heard the name before in his life. "Joelle?"

"Yes. It means Joy. She was a Joy for us. Joelle Marie."

"In the florist's shop? I bought the flowers from a Joelle." He couldn't match the way her accent gave the name a softer more rounded sound, smoothing the harshness of the *J', turning a pretty name into a beautiful one. Like its owner.

"Our Joelle," confirmed William. He exchanged an alarmed glance with Natalie. "You didn't tell her..."

Shay interrupted, "No, of course not. I didn't know." Joelle was his sister? Beautiful, s.e.xy Joelle? Good G.o.d! He'd flirted with her. And she'd responded.

"But you didn't mention our name? Who the flowers were for?"

"No." Shay stared from one anxious face to the other. They were inordinately worried. If she didn't know she had a brother, did she know anything at all?

"She doesn't know, does she?" he asked softly. "She doesn't know she's adopted."

"No," said Natalie. "There was no need for her to know. Her colouring is enough like mine to be no problem. Joelle is our daughter. She has been since she was two weeks old. If that doesn't make her ours what does?"

"I don't want to take her from you," Shay blurted through the swirl of shock. "But she's my sister. She's the only person alive who I know is part of my family, my history. I'm her only blood relative. Don't you think she deserves to know her birth mother died giving her life? That she has a brother?"

"Excuse me, Doctor Brookes," William's voice cut in cold and implacable. "But do you have any proof that Joelle is your sister? We only have your word for it and on a superficial level no-one would a.s.sume you were related."

Natalie sprang to her feet. "My husband is right, Doctor. Joelle, as you have seen, is fair and blonde while your eyes are brown and your hair and skin are much darker toned. How do you know she is your sister and why should we believe you?"

Shay rose from his seat and William said, "You haven't found us through an adoption agency, have you?"

"No. From the Madeleine Wright Hospital records. They weren't marked as contact vetoed by you."

"That was because we thought there would be no relatives wanting to contact her. Her mother was dead, poor soul and the father was untraceable. They tried to find him at the time. The grandparents certainly weren't interested. They'd cast you both off so callously."

"But what about me, her brother?" Shay fought to keep his voice, his language, civilised. "How could you a.s.sume I wouldn't want to find my sister?"

"You see, it's only because we feel for your situation and the fact that Joelle is an adult now we decided to speak to you. We thought we could discuss this and you'd understand her situation. Please don't approach her with this information."

"I'd like your word on that, Doctor Brookes," said Natalie, emphasising his name slightly. Sending home the message that a doctor's word was implicitly trustworthy, never mind the man behind the t.i.tle.

William said, "Please sit down, Doctor. Darling?" He indicated the sofa and Natalie sat down again. Shay resumed his position opposite.

"I won't tell her she's adopted if that's what you mean," he said. "I think you should. The longer something like this stays hidden the worse it is when the truth comes out. And it will one day, believe me. I've known all my life what happened to my mother, me, and my baby sister. My family believes in telling the truth. Always."

"Even if the truth harms another?"

"Ultimately the truth never harms anyone," said Shay. "My Dad was a policeman and he told us *the truth always comes out in the end and when it does it's a relief even for those trying to hide it. Lies become a much heavier burden than the truth ever does.'"

"He sounds like a good man," said William.

"The best."

"But he must have said there are times when the truth is best left unspoken," continued William. "When nature has taken its course, regardless. In your profession surely you've had to...not lie exactly...but shall we say, temper the bald statement of facts to suit the situation." He c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at Shay. His voice and manner remained that of a reasonable, intelligent man having an interesting discussion. Not one given to pa.s.sionate outbursts.

Shay nodded. "That's true. I've learned that for myself. But patients always prefer to know the truth. Most people hate to be lied to. It's others who seek to keep the facts from them. In their own best interests, they say. Each case is different."

"I don't see why Joelle should ever know this truth," cried Natalie. "I'm her mother, I know her. She's happy, she knows what she wants from life. She has her sisters. She has plans. I don't see how telling her this...this...secret will make her happier. I don't."

Her voice broke into a sob on the last word and she covered her face in her hands. William put his arm clumsily around her shoulders in a gesture that seemed to Shay to be unfamiliar to them both. He waited while Natalie sniffed into a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. She shrugged off William's arm.

"I'm sorry," she said raising her head. The aloof elegance had returned despite the blurred eyes and the sodden tissue clutched in her hand. "Maybe we should have told Joelle when she was little but we didn't. We're not bad people, Doctor Brookes." She said it as a statement not a plea for understanding.

"Of course n-" Shay began but she continued straight on over his protest.

"But the fact remains we haven't told her and if we do ever decide to it will be our decision, not yours."

"Will you respect our wishes?" asked William.

"I respect your opinion," said Shay carefully, "but I honestly cannot say I respect your wishes. This is Joelle's life you're dealing with, she's an adult not a child and she should know the circ.u.mstances of her birth. Can I ask you what would be your stance if she were seriously ill and needed a donor, a blood relative? What would you tell her in that situation?"

"She's not seriously ill," said Natalie. "And she has my blood type."

Shay sucked in a deep lungful of air. The woman was intractable. Nothing he could say right now was going to alter her position. William was less adamant. Perhaps he could make his wife see how damaging to everyone her stubbornness might be.

"The fact remains, no matter how much you deny it, that Joelle has a brother. Me. She won't love you less. I don't love my parents less for knowing the truth."

"But, Doctor Brookes," said Natalie. "You've always known. Joelle hasn't."

"I don't think there is anything more to be discussed here." William placed his hand on his wife's arm and she glanced at him with a slight frown.

"But he knows where Joelle works," she said. "He'll go straight there and tell her."

"He won't," said William. "Will you?" The pale blue eyes bored into Shay's.

"I said I wouldn't. But I refuse to allow you to ban me from speaking to my sister. This isn't the nineteenth century."

"I a.s.sumed you'd keep away from her," said Natalie. "Now that we've told you how we feel, why go near her at all?"

"Because she's my sister," insisted Shay. "If I can't get to know her as a sister at least I can get to know her as a person."

"And what will she think?" asked William gently. "Just think about that for a moment."

"She'll think I'm a friend. What else? What do you think I am?" He ran both hands roughly over his face. What had seemed so simple had turned complex and threatened to become ugly. "I just want to talk to her-as a person, a friend," he said in despair. He stood up.

"I understand," said William gently. "This is very difficult for us all. We don't want it to become a nightmare for Joelle."

He rose to lead Shay towards the door. Natalie left the sofa and strode to the window where she stared out into the distance, her back a rebuke.

"Goodbye, Mrs Paice," said Shay. "Thank you for seeing me."

She half turned. "Good bye." The words were wrenched from between tight lips and a rigid jaw.

William opened the door and stepped with Shay out on to the veranda. He followed him down the steps to where the car waited. Shay looked back at the house. The slender figure of Natalie stood watching, a shadowy, grim sentinel partially obscured by the patio railing and the reflections on the gla.s.s.

"I'm sorry to have upset your wife so much," he said. "I didn't realise you hadn't told Joelle."

"We should have, I suppose," said William. "But the time never seemed right and Natalie became almost convinced the girl really was her baby. She came to us so small, you see."

Shay nodded. "Where does that leave me, though, Mr Paice? All my life I've wanted to reunite our family. I know that sounds sentimental and silly when there are only the two of us but it's how I feel. I can't just make that feeling go away."

William spoke quietly but with no hint of self pity, just stating facts. "I sometimes used to imagine being an only child and I went through periods of intense envy of my friends who were. I thought they got all their parents' attention. They, of course, were envious of me and my sister." He laughed softly. "I suppose what I'm saying is, we all have to make do with what we're given-our lot in life. We all think someone else has it better and overlook the problems they may be facing. We want to change things that can't be changed."

"You're telling me to forget my quest? Is that what you're saying? Accept my life and hers as they are and get on with it?"

"Maybe I am. I'm not unsympathetic to your situation, it's just that I think it's too late to start bringing up the past. Some truths are best left untold. You were orphaned but were lucky enough to be placed with a loving family. So was Joelle. Many poor children never have that second chance."

Shay stared at the benign face. There was nothing more to say. They'd come full circle. He held out his hand.

"Thank you for your time, Mr Paice. I can see Joelle has a happy loving family and for that I'm grateful. I did wonder, often, if she'd been as fortunate as I am."

"Thank you, Doctor Brookes. I'm sorry if you feel your journey was wasted."

"It wasn't wasted, not at all. At least I know my sister's name and that she's well and happy." Shay unlocked the car and slid in to the driver's seat. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." William raised his hand and let it fall to his side.

Shay watched him in the rear view mirror as he drove away. The tall, angular figure stood staring after the car and hadn't moved by the time Shay slipped around the curve of the road and lost sight of him. Halfway down the hill, Shay realised his teeth were clamped so tightly together his jaw was aching. His fingers gripped the steering wheel like steel bands. He pulled the Golf in under the shade of a large tree. The resounding hollowness in his stomach had increased but he needed food now or he'd pa.s.s out. He needed to think and for that his brain and body needed sustenance. For five minutes he sat immobile, breathing deep slow breaths and waiting for the nervous tension to leave his hands and jaw.

He mustn't think about Natalie and William and how he'd botched the whole thing. He mustn't. He must drive down the hill into the main street and buy some food. Shay started the engine. He'd eat and he'd think and then he'd act.

If those two people thought they could keep a brother and sister apart, they were wrong.

Chapter 3.

"What time is Rosa coming in tomorrow morning?" asked Viv.

"I told her six-thirty. She and Tracey can finish what we don't get done tonight. I have to be at the church by twelve-thirty. I just hope the eleven am wedding runs on time so the cleaner can clear all their flowers out. It's going to be tight enough as it is."

"Why she couldn't use their flowers I do not know!"

Joelle had suggested the same thing to Lucia, but no go, much to Viv's often expressed disgust at the unnecessary extravagance.

"Wrong colour scheme," Joelle said patiently. "The other wedding is pale pink, Lucia is forest green."

"Who cares?"

"I do if she pays me to. And she is. This extravaganza is costing Papa Giorgio megabucks."

Joelle handed Viv a mug of the herbal tea she favoured. Tracey had just chugged away in the little van loaded to the brim with deliveries, the fifteen table decorations were almost done, they could begin work on the big arrangements and the bouquets tonight. They'd earned a cuppa. With any luck, no customers would interrupt them.

"Oh how I hate weddings," sang Viv loudly to an indeterminate tune vaguely reminiscent of *Here Comes the Bride.'

"Do you? I don't, I love them," said Joelle. "Everyone's always so happy."

"That's because they don't see all this." Viv waved a plump arm about the workroom. Every available s.p.a.ce covered in either flowers or greenery or the panoply of tools, tapes, ribbon, vases, wires, stands, buckets and everything else a.s.sociated with floristry.

"Didn't you enjoy your wedding?"

"Had a ball but I knew what was necessary and what was not. I wasn't fussed if the invitation envelopes didn't match the bridesmaids' dresses and I certainly didn't care that my favourite flowers weren't in season for the bouquet. We had more important things to spend our dollars on."

Viv sipped her tea, smiling, Joelle knew, at the memory of a fantastic wedding and party. She knew because she'd been there downing champagne and dancing most of the night.

"So has Paul asked you yet?"

"Asked me what?" Joelle pretended ignorance but it was futile.

"Asked you what?" snorted Viv in disbelief. "Popped the question, gone down on bended knee, asked you to be his blushing bride, the future Mrs De Graaf?"

"No, thank goodness." Joelle grimaced and Viv laughed. "What will I do if he does?"

"Say no if that's how you feel."

"I'm not sure how I feel. I really like him but he doesn't...he isn't..." Joelle frowned.

"He doesn't make your knees tremble and your heart pound," announced Viv. "Poor old Paul, he's just not s.e.xy."

"No," agreed Joelle. "I tell you what, though. A guy came in earlier who was seriously s.e.xy."

"Really? And where was I?" demanded Viv. She put her empty mug down with a determined clunk and folded her arms over the dark green *Earthly Delights' ap.r.o.n.

"Out the back working."

"That'd be right, while you're in here flirting with Fabio."

"He didn't look anything like Fabio, his hair's short for a start. He had the most fantastic brown eyes..." Joelle sighed. "He did flirt with me though. He said Joelle was a pretty name."

"You can bet he's taken." Viv inspected the biscuits remaining in the tin. "Tracey's eaten all the chocolate ones."

"Probably. She always does and probably he is. The flowers weren't for his wife, they were for some woman he didn't know. He said he thought it might be a nice gesture."

"Mmm. s.e.xy and considerate. Good mix," Viv nodded approvingly. She crunched into a pink wafer cream "Think he'll come back?"