Damaged Goods by Diane McNab - HTML preview

CHAPTER 10

SUMMER'S DECISION TO TELL ZAC ABOUT JANE

Over coffee one morning Summer said “I think I have been a little remiss Madge. I haven't told Zac about Jane yet.”

“I am well aware of that” Madge declared “just wondering if you were going to do it in the near future or wait until you are on your death bed!”

“Jesus Madge that's a little harsh.”

“Really?” “Grayson, Doctor, whatever you want to call him, didn't let his own Daughter know that he had a Son until after he had passed. Do you really want to go down that path with Zac?” asked Madge.

Before Summer could speak Madge added “Think about it, the poor young girl had lost her Mother under tragic circumstances. What she was feeling at that time is hard to fathom. I don't know what her relationship with her Father was like but the fact that she didn't know she had a Brother until the reading of his will speaks volumes. It's time to talk to Zac, actually the time is well overdue.”

“Will you be here with me?” asked Summer sheepishly.

“Wouldn't be anywhere else” replied Madge.

Summer invited Zac for Sunday lunch saying she hoped Alex could come to.

“Hey Alex you up for lunch at Mum's on Sunday?” hollered Zac.

“If Madge is making her famed lasagne count me in” was the reply.

Summer smiled at the fond interaction between her Son and his partner and then firmly braced herself for what would be a confronting conversation.

“We are here as you summoned Mum” said Zac giving her a big hug with Alex going in for seconds.

“Madge I heard you were making your lasagne and I reckon I had to knock people down just getting to the front door” said Alex kissing Madge on the cheek.

“Get away with you” said Madge fair pleased.

Lunch was delicious with Alex having two helpings and asking Madge if she could possibly pack some leftovers for him. “More than happy to” Madge said “come and give me a hand.”

“I have something to tell you” Summer said intently looking at Zac “it's probably something I have should have told you a long time ago.”

“Jesus Christ Mum why the serious face. Do I have a Brother or Sister I don't know about?” Zac said laughing.

Summer hadn't foreseen Zac saying this at all and simply replied “Yes, you have a half Sister!”

“What, your joking right? You have to be joking” shouted Zac.

There was a loud clatter from the kitchen and Madge and Alex emerged in to the room.

Alex had no idea what had just gone on but he placed both of his strong arms on Zac's shoulders telling him to breathe.

The story came out over a lot of tears, mainly on Summer's part, with Zac adding a few of his own.

“I understood my relationship with your Father, or at least believed I did. I am not going to say I didn't know your Father was married when I met him for that would be a lie.”

“When we first got together Grayson said he had an agreement of some sort with his Wife, and that divorce was not option, particularly due to the fact they had a child together.”

“I believed him. After all it seemed feasible, how many Wive's don't see their Husband for days on end? Now I am unsure what was actually the truth.”

Zac combed back his hair with his hands, a movement he used when unsure about something.

“What's her name?” he asked.

“Jane!”

“Do you have a photograph?”

Summer sighed and said “No, but for a long time I had asked Gray to show me a photo of her. After much deliberation on his part he finally showed me one. I sort of kept the image in my mind and did a charcoal sketch of her giving it to Gray for his birthday. When he left he never took it with him.”

“Do you still have the sketch?” asked Zac.

“Yes I do. I never wanted to get rid of it. I will grab it now if you like?”

“Please.”

Zac looked down at the sketch. It showed what looked like a solemn and sad looking little girl. He felt waves of emotion crashing over him.

“Christ she is my Sister. I have never known anything about her or the fact she even existed until now. How is that possible. How old would she have been here?”

Summer said sadly “I think she was ten. I am pretty sure she was ten as you were about four years old at the time.”

With that Zac stood up almost violently. “You are telling me she was ten years old and now you are finally telling me about her. Fuck that's a lot of water under the bridge Mum.”

Summer stood up reaching out to him but Zac stated “Don't touch me, please don't. I have to go. I have to go now.”

With that he and Alex left.

“That didn't go well did it?” asked Summer.

“Did you expect it to?” answered Madge.

Zac took a while to cool off. He felt betrayed and was finding it hard to cope with all the feelings he had flowing through him.

His Dad had another family for years. Until now it was something he had never been aware off and the whole thing shocked him to his core.

Alex looked after him but after a few days told him to get up and get on with life.

It was good advice.

Meanwhile Summer nestled in her own misery, taking up smoking again as if finding a new friend. “That stuff will kill you, you know that don't you?” said Madge but Summer ignored her.

A week passed since the lunch and Summer's phone rang. She looked at the number and not recognising it was ready to launch in to a tirade of expletives, simply to vent her feelings, when a woman spoke and said “Hye, my name is Jane Collins. I know you don't know me but I was wondering if we could talk some time?”

Summer sat up and took notice. “You are Jane, Grayson's Daughter?”

“Yes I am. Look I understand this all sounds a little strange as I only became aware of your existence at the reading of my Father's will, but I believe I have a half Brother out there and you are his Mother. I know it has been quite a while since my Father's passing but I wondered if it would be possible for us to meet up some time. I guess I am taking pot shot luck that you are agreeable to that.”

Summer shakily answered “Well how about tomorrow?”

“Dammit, that's not good for me, my schedule is so tight at the moment. How would Saturday be?”

“Saturday is probably even better” declared Summer not caring which day of the week it was “I will give you my address.”

“Are you still at Grove Street, Paddington? I only know where you live because of the Deed in my Father's Will.”

“Yes I am, see you then” said Summer.

Summer got of the couch and had a long shower as if cleansing herself from the past. She walked in to the kitchen and grabbed Madge giving her a huge hug.

“Well don't know the reason for that but I will take it” said Madge “happy to see you are up and back on your feet you lazy bugger.”

“Sorry Madge I have been a right pain in the arse.”

“Your telling me!”

“Geeze Madge I said 3.00pm. I mean that's not even lunch or dinner.”

“Oh for goodness sake give her a doughnut and a cup of tea. What does that matter in the scheme of things? The fact is she has reached out to you and probably needs answers just as much as Zac does.”

Summer looked despondent saying “You are right. I have turned in to a completely selfish human being who can only think about what goes on in my own life.”

Madge smiled at her fondly and said “No, one thing you are not and will never be, is selfish Summer Dawson.”