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Back The Cruise Save as PDF
Chapters (97)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Michael has never …
  4. Prologue
  5. PART ONE
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. PART TWO
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. PART THREE
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. PART FOUR
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. PART FIVE
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. 47
  57. PART SIX
  58. 48
  59. 49
  60. 50
  61. 51
  62. 52
  63. PART SEVEN
  64. 53
  65. 54
  66. 55
  67. PART EIGHT
  68. 56
  69. 57
  70. 58
  71. 59
  72. PART NINE
  73. 60
  74. 61
  75. 62
  76. 63
  77. 64
  78. 65
  79. 66
  80. 67
  81. 68
  82. 69
  83. 70
  84. 71
  85. 72
  86. 73
  87. 74
  88. 75
  89. PART TEN
  90. 76
  91. Epilogue
  92. Acknowledgements
  93. Keep Reading …
  94. 1
  95. About the Author
  96. By Catherine Cooper
  97. About the Publisher

PART TEN

76

Lola

Four years earlier

May 2019

London

‘Thank you for coming to see me today, Laura,’ Karen rasps. She is painfully thin and looks tiny in her pristine hospital bed. ‘I know you don’t get much leave from the ship and I appreciate you taking the time to come and see me at my request.’

I take her hand and squeeze it. Our relationship since I was found has been up and down to put it mildly, but this woman, who I have never quite been able to accept as my mother, is dying. The least I can do is try and be pleasant to her during her last days. After all, I haven’t exactly made things easy since I arrived back in her life, and have barely bothered to come and see her since I left for the ships, however much Jesse has tried to persuade me. I tagged along with him now and again, but the visits always made me feel uncomfortable so whenever I could, I would make an excuse.

‘I know it’s been hard for you, being reunited with us out of the blue as you were,’ she continues. ‘I wish things could have run more smoothly. I know you’re not a believer, and I respect that, but I want you to know that every day of your life, I’ve prayed for you. Since you were born giving thanks, since you went missing for your return, and since your return for guidance as to how I can best help you. And of course, in recent years, for the safety of both you and Jesse while you’re at sea.’

‘I appreciate that, Karen,’ I say. I still can’t bring myself to call her Mum. She and Jesse have given up hinting that they would like me to, thankfully. ‘And I realize that I have not behaved as well as I could have since I was found.’

She tries to squeeze my hand but I can barely feel it she is so weak. Her skin is papery and her breathing is laboured, in spite of the oxygen mask. ‘That’s OK, my lovely,’ she says. ‘I understand that it hasn’t been easy for you, coming back into our lives. In retrospect, perhaps we should have done things differently. Taken things more slowly. Allowed you more time to adapt. Perhaps you’d even have been better off with a foster family for a while. But that’s all very well with perfect hindsight.’

She pauses as her breathing becomes heavier. I don’t say anything.

‘I want you to know that your return to us was the best thing that ever happened to me,’ she continues. ‘When you were taken, it was as if someone had ripped out my heart. When you came back, it allowed me to feel whole again.’