BooksBarbecue
Back The Lie Save as PDF
Chapters (69)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. Acknowledgements
  66. Reading Group Questions
  67. Read More
  68. I
  69. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

Now it was Leo’s turn to reach across the table and take her hand, his eyes filling with tears. ‘Please, Mum. I know it’s not fair to ask you, but will you help?’ He took his hand from hers to brush away his tears. ‘I’ll do it all, I promise. I just need some moral support.’

Romy knew she didn’t have a choice. ‘I’m going home this evening,’ she said, her tone painfully reluctant. ‘I need to get clothes and stuff.’ She took a slow breath, trying to quell the roiling in her gut. ‘But I’ll be back Sunday night … And, yes, of course I’ll help you, Leo.’

As she said goodbye to her grateful sons and walked away from the café, she thought of the email she’d received earlier in the week, the request from the Wildlife Trust to come in and meet them. She thought of Finch. The prospect of going backwards – even for a short period – to tend a post-stroke Michael made her feel like throwing plates at the wall.

Penguin Walking Logo

16

‘I know it’s late, but can I come over?’ Romy’s voice had sounded strained when she’d called earlier.

Finch was delighted. In the days since he’d dropped her off at the hospital, he’d become increasingly anxious. He’d begun to feel that the night they’d spent together would prove a grand finale to their relationship, not the opening ceremony, as he’d hoped.

She had started to cry as soon as she was through the door. He’d taken her in his arms and just held her, listening to her muffled, disjointed fears about helping out with Michael’s rehabilitation.

‘Glass of wine?’ he asked later, when she was calmer and had flopped down tiredly on the sofa.

She nodded. ‘Make it a large one.’

He came back with two glasses of red and a big bowl of crisps. Romy’s eyes lit up and she helped herself to a handful.

‘You won’t be needed for too long, I imagine,’ Finch said, settling beside her.

She met his eyes, her expression blank and exhausted. ‘You must think I’m awful, being so reluctant. It’s not that I don’t want to make sure Michael’s OK. And of course I’ll be there for Leo. It’s just … recently I’ve felt so excited about things …’ She looked away. ‘And this feels like …’ She didn’t finish, but her expression said it all.

‘You don’t think Leo could cope?’

Romy shrugged. ‘I’m sure he could. He’s nearly thirty, not a kid – although I still think of him as one. I’m sure people his age have to deal with much worse than this, all the time. But if I can help …’