My father.

This man is my actual father.

I’m half him.

Michael turns as we approach.

‘Diane?’ He glances at Skywalker. ‘You didn’t go and get a rescue dog without telling me, did you? We said we’d go together.’

Up close, Michael’s tanned face looks friendly. There are smile lines. His voice is kind.

‘We’re not getting a dog,’ says Diane. ‘Forget the dog. Look who’s with the dog.’

Michael smiles, nods at me, but barely looks up. ‘Oh. Right. You’re here for the internship, are you? Welcome to Michael Towers. Don’t let Diane boss you around too much. She can nag for England, this woman.’

I clear my throat. ‘Um … my name is Liberty. I’m your daughter.’

When I rehearsed the words in my head, they sounded profound. Now they just sound like a weird thing to say to someone I’ve just met.

Michael looks up then. He looks up so sharply that his neck clicks. ‘You’re … What did you say?’

‘I’m your daughter.’

A pause.

‘My … what?’ Michael’s eyebrows lift above his sunglasses.

‘On today of all days, right?’ says Diane. ‘You said she’d find her way home eventually, and here she is.’

‘Oh holy Jesus.’ Michael lets out another blurt of laughter. ‘Oh Jesus. You’re … Oh, wow.’ He clambers down from the stage, mouth twitching into something like a smile. ‘I can’t believe it. I didn’t know … I mean I never imagined you’d just show up here …’ He turns to Diane for clarification.

‘She was right outside,’ says Diane. ‘I found her by the gates.’

‘You look like me. Doesn’t she, Diane? She looks just bloody like me.’

‘There’s certainly a resemblance.’

‘So … what did you say your name was? Liberty?’

‘Liberty.’

‘I called you Reign. Reign Janis Ray. God.’ Michael looks up at the sky and throws his hands together. Tears glisten on his cheeks. ‘Thank you. Thank you. You were born right here on these grounds. Did you know that?’

‘I … No.’

Michael nods, voice fading to a whisper. ‘The best and worst day of my life. To be given something so precious. And then have it taken away. Listen, I know you’ll have been told all sorts of stories. But the woman you grew up with isn’t what she seems, Liberty. She isn’t what she seems.’

‘That’s … uh, sort of why I came here,’ I say. ‘To hear your side. But Diane said today is your wedding anniversary. Maybe it’s not the best day for all this.’

‘It’s fine,’ says Diane, eyes soft and warm. ‘Our wedding anniversary is day one. That’s what we always call it. A fresh start. We let go of everything on this day. That’s how we survived your mother. So what better day for you to come? A new beginning.’