Lucy Gordon - For The Sake Of His Child

Abandoned in his silence, he had headed for the one person who made him feel safe-not his father, but Gina.

‘How did you get here?’ she asked.

I wrote your address on a piece of paper. Then I walked to the railway station. There’s a taxi rank.

Eight, vulnerable, abandoned. Walking the streets alone.

At last Carson called back.

‘I’m afraid I’ll have to trespass on your kindness a little more,’ he said. ‘Will you take Joey home for me, please, and stay until I can get there? I’ve cleared it with your boss. Have you got your car back yet?’

‘Yes. But how do I get into your house?’

‘There’s a spare key under the rose bush by the porch. Joey knows where it is. I’ll be there as quickly as I can. Thank you for doing this for me.’

‘You haven’t given me much ch-’ But he’d hung up.

George Wainright appeared in her door, beaming.

‘Well, that’s all right, then,’ he said genially. ‘Philip and I have agreed that the best thing is to release you for as long as you need.’

‘You mean, Carson Page has agreed that I should be released for as long as he needs,’ Gina said wryly.

‘Well, it was a bit like that, I must admit,’ George admitted. ‘But if you keep him sweet the whole firm benefits.’

Gina was left with no choice but to leave with Joey. As before, in her company his tensions fell away and he became quietly happy.

They went out to the car park and found the ‘peanut’, at which point Joey’s eyes widened and he became sorely tried, his natural good manners struggling with his mirth.

‘Et tu, Brute?’ she murmured.

What was that? he signed.

‘It means that everyone laughs at my poor little car-even you.’

Manners lost the battle. But it’s funny.

‘Oh, all right. I’ll tell you how I met your father the other day.’

She described the incident, including how she’d had to climb into the car from the back, and he collapsed with amusement.

‘You do it,’ she said, opening the boot, and he scrambled through in delight.

They reached the house to find only silence. There was no sign of Mrs Saunders, but the phone started ringing as they entered. It was the local hospital.

‘Mrs Saunders asked us to call this number and leave a message on the answeing machine,’ said a female voice. ‘She was involved in a motor accident-knocked down by a car. She isn’t seriously hurt, but she’ll be in here for a few days.’

So that mystery, at least, was explained. She told Joey what had happened, emphasising that Mrs Saunders hadn’t deserted him deliberately. But he seemed more concerned with the fact that now he would have Gina to himself. His delight was touching, even though it dismayed her.

‘Right,’ she told him. ‘Let’s make this an adventure.’

For dinner, she found eggs and bacon, plus some ice cream in the freezer, and the two of them had a banquet. Between mouthfuls they talked in silence. Joey chattered and chattered, as though something had suddenly set him free.

She understood. There were people who talked with you as a duty and people who seemed to enjoy talking with you. And when you found one of the latter you made the most of them.

Gradually the shape of Joey’s personality was becoming clear to her. He was lively, brave and intelligent, with a neat sense of humour. And when he got onto his favourite subject, marine life, he was unstoppable. This was more than a child’s interest, Gina realised. He really knew his stuff.

As they were putting the dishes away, the phone rang. Probably Carson, to say he was going to be late.

But the voice on the other end was female, and throatily seductive. ‘I don’t believe I know you.’

‘My name’s Gina Tennison and I’m here to look after Joey.’

‘Well, I’m Angelica Duvaine. Please fetch Carson.’

‘I’m afraid he isn’t here. He was kept late at a meeting.’

‘Oh, I can believe that. Him and his meetings! No time for his wife but always time for those damned meetings.’

‘But Joey is here. He’ll be thrilled that you called. I’ll fetch him.’

‘Whatever for? I mean, he can’t hear me, can he?’

Gina drew a long breath. The impatience and irritation in the other woman’s voice had been too clear to miss.

‘No, but I can do sign language and interpret for you,’ she said.

‘Look, can you just give Carson a message?’

‘I’ll take your message when you’ve spoken to Joey,’ Gina said firmly. ‘I’ll fetch him now.’

She heard a sharp gasp from the other end. This woman wasn’t used to being defied. Gina beckoned Joey to the phone and signed, Mother. Instantly the child’s face was brilliant with joy. He seized the receiver, and made a sound into it that Gina interpreted as, ‘Hello, Mummy.’

Gina took the receiver. ‘What shall I tell him from you?’ she asked.

‘Well-say hello-and I hope he’s being a good boy.’

‘Shall I tell him that you love him?’ Gina asked, concealing her anger for Joey’s sake.

‘Yes-yes, tell him that.’

Gina signed. Mummy says she hopes you’re being a good boy and she loves you very much.

‘Joey says, where are you?’

‘I’m in Los Angeles.’

‘He wants to know if you miss him.’

‘Of course I miss him. He’s my darling little son.’

Gina signed this accurately, and Joey beamed.

It was hard but she kept some sort of conversation going, prompting Angelica when she was stuck. Once she knew what was expected of her, Angelica got into the role, managing to say more or less the right things. And occasionally Gina embellished, to make the other woman’s faltering remarks sound better. Joey was in seventh heaven.

Then the front door opened and Carson came in.

He nodded a greeting to Gina, and headed for the kitchen.

‘Wait,’ Gina called to him. ‘It’s your ex-wife on the line. Just a moment.’ She turned back to the receiver. ‘Joey says-’

Carson seemed to become aware of what was happening. A slight frown creased his forehead as Gina relayed Angelica’s words, suitably edited, back to the child.

‘Mummy has to go now, but she says she loves you-Joey says he loves you too, very much, and he wants to know when-’

She broke off as Carson snatched the phone from her. ‘Brenda, what the hell are you playing at?’

Gina shepherded Joey away. Luckily he was too happy to be troubled by his father’s abrupt action. She tried not to eavesdrop but Carson didn’t bother to lower his voice.

‘I told you to deal through my lawyer-and don’t give me that yearning mother act, because I’m not fooled any more. I was fooled for years-about that and a few other things-but not now.’

He hung up sharply and swung around to Gina. ‘I ought to ask what the hell you imagine you’re playing at,’ he said furiously. ‘Do you think I can’t see through that little farce? Brenda, sending loving messages to her son! I’ll bet she was never so surprised in her life.’

‘But it meant the world to him-’

‘Got his hopes up, you mean. How will he feel when she doesn’t follow through? Did you stop to think of that?’

‘No,’ she admitted, dismayed. ‘I just wanted to give him a little happiness. I didn’t think about afterwards. I’m sorry.’

‘Of all the stupid-!’

Then he realised his son was watching him.

‘Hello, son.’ Joey couldn’t hear the words, but he saw his father’s hand outstretched to him. Carson’s manner was awkward, but there was affection in the way he ruffled the boy’s hair. And when Joey’s arms went around him Carson returned the embrace fiercely. Gina caught a glimpse of his face before he bent it over Joey’s head, and she looked quickly away.