Sparks Fly

by Emily Harvale

  'Then perhaps you should knock on my front door and say, “Please may I come in, Natalia? And please will you help me?” And I might think about it.'

  'I don't have time for this nonsense. Are you going to help me or not?'

  She crossed her arms, tipped her head to one side and raised her brows.

  'Jesus Christ. OK. Please?'

  'Of course. What's happened now? The last time you were here, was very early on Sunday morning. For which Josh still thanks you, by the way.' She threw him a sarcastic smile. 'Cat had accused you the night before of trying to seduce her daughter but then she'd said she was going to invite you for coffee and you didn't know what that meant.'

  'Yes. And you told me I was a complete idiot and it meant she liked me, after all. Which I told you at the time she didn't. And she definitely doesn't. Or if she did, she doesn't now.'

  'I assume you're going to explain. I'll make coffee.'

  'I'd rather have wine. Or whisky.'

  'You'll have coffee and like it.' She switched on the machine and smiled. 'I must've known you were coming. Here's one I prepared earlier. Now start from the beginning. And let's try and make it easy to follow, shall we?'

  He tutted. 'She and Kyra came to the museum to show me a photo of a man they want to trace. But that's not important. Everything was fine until Lucas went to make coffee.'

  'She didn't want coffee?'

  He furrowed his brows. 'Yes. She wanted coffee. I didn't actually ask if she did but she didn't say no.'

  'That opens up a whole new can of worms, Amias. Just because a woman doesn't say no, it doesn't mean yes.'

  'I don't think that's something you should joke about, Natalia.'

  'I'm not joking. But carry on. Hold on though. Who's this man they want to trace?'

  'I said it's not important right now.'

  'I know you did. But I'm curious.'

  He sighed. 'I'll tell you later. Um. She said something about Lucas being good-looking and how girls must be attracted to him.'

  'He is. They are. And you got jealous?'

  'No. Of an eighteen-year-old kid? Give me some credit.'

  'You were exceedingly jealous of an eighteen-year-old kid once, I seem to remember.'

  'When I was nineteen myself. Yes. Will you shut up and let me finish?'

  'I wish you would. Coffee?'

  'Natalia! I'm dying here. Bloody well listen, will you?'

  She held a hand in the air, grinned, poured them both some coffee and shoved a mug in his direction.

  'I'm all ears. We'd got to how handsome Lucas is.'

  Amias took a gulp of coffee and nodded. 'I said she had nothing to worry about because Kyra had her head screwed on and Cat jumped to the conclusion that I was saying she didn't. Cat, that is. Not Kyra. And I said I hadn't been referring to the past but if we were, then I thought she'd definitely had her head screwed on because she'd wanted to get Kyle and she wanted to leave the village so she'd got him by getting herself pregnant. Or words to that effect.'

  'Wait. I didn't understand half of what you just said. But you accused Cat of getting pregnant to get Kyle to leave the village with her? Seriously? And you're still standing?'

  'Well, that's what did happen. That's what Kyle told me. And when I told her that Kyle had said that, she accused me of lying. Oh and there was also the bit about Dad saying that Devon women get themselves pregnant to get the man they want.'

  'Ah yes. Dad and Mary Devon. No conversation about the Devons is complete without bringing up that little gem. You actually said that, did you?'

  'Yes. Cat clearly doesn't know about it but that doesn't change the fact it's true.'

  'From Dad's point of view. That doesn't make it true, Amias. And Mary didn't get the man she wanted, did she? Dad was right to be angry about the rumours at the time, but to still be bitter now, doesn't help anyone. And for you to bring it up with Cat, was just plain stupid.'

  He glared at her but she was right. 'I know. I don't know why I did. It just all came tumbling out before I realised what I was saying. When I saw how cross she was, I tried to back track. I mean what's the point in going over it all now? It won't change the outcome. It won't bring Kyle back. I said I must've been mistaken and she said she was the one who was mistaken and that her mum was right about me. Then she stormed out and took Kyra with her. So what should I do now?'

  'Take a vow of silence? But failing that, I'm not sure there's anything you can do. Either you face the past and tell her the truth. And run the risk of her never speaking to you again. Or you leave things as they are. And she'll probably never speak to you again.' Natalia shrugged and drank her coffee.

  He blinked several times. 'That's it? That's the extent of your advice?'

  'I'm not a miracle worker, Amias. Look. Let's go over the facts. For the last eighteen years you've carried around a lifetime's worth of guilt because you were in love with Cat Devon and you didn't want to be. When Kyle fell in love with her and they became a couple, you were eaten up with jealously. One day you told him you thought you might be in love with his girlfriend and shortly after that, he told you she was pregnant and she wanted them to run away together. And a few months later, they did. For some reason you think you could've stopped all this from happening by being nice to her when she first went to the beach, instead of turning her away because of the stories Dad told us about him and Mary Devon. But that's just silly, as I tell you every year, including this one. I honestly thought there'd been a breakthrough on Saturday night and that maybe you could both finally put the past behind you and move on. Perhaps you still can. But only if you tell her the truth, Amias. The entire truth. Including the fact that you've been in love with her since that first day you saw her on the beach. OK. Maybe not the first day. I know you didn't fall in love with her at first sight, like Kyle said he did. But you couldn't stop talking about her from that very first day and you haven't stopped thinking about her from that day to this. Even if it is only once every year. Although we both know you think about her far more often than that and that she's the real reason you've never had a lasting relationship.'

  He narrowed his eyes, frowned and shook his head. 'But then I'd have to tell her about Dad and Mary. And that I've always known who her dad was. She'd hate me even more for that. Not to mention her dad's family. And Mary would probably kill me.'

  'Yes. And as I said, Cat may never speak to you again. But at least the truth would be out and perhaps you could both move on. It's time, Amias. It really is.'

  He thought about it for a while.

  'Perhaps you're right.'

  'I'm always right. Just ask Josh.'

  He gave her a half-hearted smile. 'But it won't be easy. I'll need some time to think about what to say and how to say it.'

  'That'll be a first. Now tell me about this man they're trying to trace. She doesn't think he may be her dad, does she?'

  'No. The photo was taken during the second world war and the man's in an RAF uniform.' He pulled out his phone. 'This is the photo. Kyra showed Lucas a copy on her phone and he synced it to show William later, so he gave me a copy too.'

  'Wow. He's really handsome. Why are they trying to trace him?'

  'Because they found the photo in a trunk in Viola's bedroom along with some unopened letters and they want to know who he is, what he was to Viola and why she wouldn't open the letters.'

  'The letters are from him?'

  'They believe so, yes.'

  'Why don't they just open them?'

  'Because they're addressed to Viola and she's kept them locked up in her trunk for God knows how long. They don't want to invade her privacy by opening them, but they want to know who the man is and whether they should try to contact him, assuming he's alive, which they're not sure he is, to tell him Viola's in a coma.'

  'Dear God. And I thought you pining for Cat Devon and being riddled with guilt over Kyle's death for eighteen bloody years was crazy. But hey. This could be good. If you could find out who he is, you could t
ell Cat, and she might be so pleased she'd forgive you.'

  'Or he could be linked to a whole new tragedy. And she might hate me even more.'

  'There is that possibility.'

  Chapter Nine

  'I think you and Jeremy may have got off on the wrong foot, Catherine,' Mary said, as Cat and Kyra were preparing dinner that evening. 'I know he may come across as rather full of himself, but he's kind and caring and he makes me happy. Not to mention the fact that he's good at what he does.'

  'Eew, Gran. That's too much information.' Kyra screwed up her nose and grinned.

  Mary gasped. 'I was referring to the fact that he's a good builder, Kyra, not … the other thing.' A sudden smile swept across her face. 'Although I'd have to say he's also good at that.'

  'Definitely too much information,' Cat said, but she wasn't grinning.

  'What's wrong with you today? You've been like a bear with a sore head ever since you both came home from the museum.'

  'Nothing's wrong.'

  'I may not have seen you for eighteen years but I'm still your mother, Catherine and I can tell that something's happened. Is this about Jeremy? I know it's sudden and perhaps we're rushing things a little but when you're our age, time doesn't wait around.'

  'For goodness sake, Mum. You're both in your fifties. That's hardly old. And yes, you did rush into things, but it's your life and if he makes you happy, which he clearly seems to, then that's fine with me. It's your house after all so I can't tell you who can and can't stay here. But this has nothing to do with Jeremy. Well, maybe him being here hasn't helped, but that's neither here nor there.'

  'What are you saying? That you don't want him here? Why does his presence upset you so?'

  'That's not what I'm saying and I'm not upset about him. It's nothing. Let's just leave it.'

  'I don't think we should. You seem to have taken an instant dislike to him and I don't know why.'

  Cat turned and faced her. 'I don't know why either, Mum. But I have. And perhaps I'm wrong about him. I was certainly wrong about Amias. All these years I've–'

  'Amias Wells? What does he have to do with this?'

  Cat sighed. 'Nothing, Mum. Nothing at all.'

  'She's cross with Amias because of something he said. Or maybe didn't say.' Kyra shrugged. 'I'm not sure what happened and neither is Mum. That's why she's cross.'

  'Excuse me, Kyra, but I am here you know.'

  'I know. And Gran's right. You have been like a bear with a sore head. You won't even talk to me about what happened.'

  'Because I don't know what happened. It's just that man. He makes me so mad. I don't know what it is but we never did get on and nothing's changed in eighteen years.'

  'You still love him, don't you, Mum?'

  'No! Absolutely not. Well. Maybe just a little. OK, yes. Possibly. But nothing could ever come of it so it's stupid to think it could. And loving him doesn't change the fact I don't really like him. He's still got a chip on his shoulder. He still looks at me as if he'd rather he didn't have to. He still makes it clear he doesn't like me. And now today, he tells lies about your dad and accuses me of being the sort of girl who gets herself pregnant to get a man. Oh. And he said the same about you, too, Mum. And that his dad told him. What did he mean by that?'

  Mary paled and dropped on to a chair. 'I have no idea. I hardly know the man.'

  Cat sighed loudly. 'Oh come on, Mum. Please don't you lie to me too. You were always telling me how awful the Wells family were and that I should stay away from Amias and Natalia and the whole sorry bunch, not just Kyle and his family. And that day in Bella Vista, Annie definitely said something that was connected with Amias, or probably, Alwick. I asked you if Alwick was my dad and you assured me he wasn't. Was that the truth?'

  Mary took several deep breaths. 'Yes. That was the truth.'

  'But Alwick knows who my dad was, doesn't he?'

  Mary nodded. 'Yes. He knows.'

  'And I think Amias may know too. Unless I'm mistaken.'

  Mary looked horrified. 'Amias knows?'

  Cat shrugged. 'I don't know. It was just the way he tried to take back what he'd said. As if he knew that by continuing, he'd have to say something far worse. And that can't have been about Kyle. So it must've been about his dad. Or something his dad had told him. And I got the impression he's known since before the day I met him in the bay when I was sixteen. I may be completely wrong, but I even think it has something to do with the way he behaved towards me then. It was as if he disliked me before we'd even met.'

  'Amias Wells has known for all these years? And he hasn't said a word? He hasn't told anyone?'

  Cat frowned. 'I don't know. I can't be certain of anything. But you said that he told Lorna he'd known where Kyra and I were for years but he hadn't told anyone. He may be infuriating and he may now be a liar, but it seems he's a man who can keep a secret.'

  'Unlike his father, it seems, if he told Amias about us.'

  'Us? About you and Alwick? So there was something between the two of you? Mum, I know you don't want to tell me and I know it may be painful but I really think you should. This family has far too many secrets and far too much tied up in the past. There's Granny Viola and her letters. There's the secret of my dad's identity. And your relationship with Alwick Wells. And there's me and Kyle and Amias. Perhaps it's about time we all came clean. Let's start with you and Alwick.'

  Mary fiddled with the buttons on the front of her dress and sighed. 'I suppose you're right. I know you are. But if I tell you about your father, it will impact on other people's lives. I can't swear you to secrecy, like I was. But that's part of the problem. I made a promise. An agreement. Not just me. Granny Viola and I signed a contract. In return for …' She gave a small cough. 'In return for a certain consideration. I'm not proud of it but we had this house to look after and there was just the two of us. Three, including you, Catherine. And we didn't ask for it. The offer was made to us.'

  'OK. Now I'm really confused.' Cat pulled out a chair and sat opposite Mary. Her head was spinning even more than it had been when she'd raced from the museum. 'Are you telling me that my dad's alive? And that he paid you to keep quiet about me? That he made you sign a contract to that effect? Bloody hell, Mum!'

  'I'll open some wine,' Kyra said. 'I think we're all going to need it.'

  Chapter Ten

  Amias drove back to the museum in slightly less of a bad mood than he had been in when he arrived at Natalia's.

  His sister believed sarcasm was an art form, and making jokes at his expense seemed to give her hours of enjoyment, but he loved her in spite of that. No. That was one of the things he loved about her. No matter how bad a mood he was in, Natalia had a way of coaxing him out of it with her sarcastic humour. And today had been no different.

  She had actually made a lot of sense. Perhaps it was time he admitted his true feelings. If he wasn't yet ready to admit them to Cat, perhaps he was at least ready to admit them to himself.

  And what she had said about him finding out about the man in the photo also made sense. If he could do that, then at least he would have a reason to get back in touch with Cat. Or maybe Kyra, if Cat refused to speak to him.

  If only he hadn't said the bit about her getting pregnant on purpose, the afternoon may not have turned out as it had. But that is what Kyle had said. He remembered that day as if it was yesterday. The day Kyle had told him that Cat was expecting a child. The day when his own dad's warnings about the Devons had been proved right.

  'It's what she's always wanted,' Kyle had said. 'She planned it from the day we met. She wanted us to be together. To have a family of our own. And I want it too. But not here. She doesn't want to stay here. Her mum and her gran will be constantly interfering. My mum and dad will be on my back about money. That's no way to build a future. She's suggested we leave. That we run away together. And I think she's right. She's always wanted to study art in Edinburgh. I've got some savings. But not enough. I was wondering if I could work here between my
other jobs. Earn a bit of extra cash. Any chance of that?'

  'Sure,' Amias had said, once he had recovered from the initial shock. 'And if I can do anything else to help, you only have to ask.'

  'Thanks mate. That means a lot. Especially after what you told me about how you felt about Cat. This can't be easy to hear.'

  Amias had shrugged nonchalantly. 'That's life. I wasn't expecting anything to come from it. I was never going to tell her how I felt. Not unless you two broke up. And even then, I probably wouldn't have told her. I only told you because I felt I had to be honest and upfront with my best friend. It's cool. We're fine. Don't give it another thought.'

  But Amias had thought of little else, despite the fact that it felt as if his heart had been smashed into tiny pieces. He tried to avoid Cat as much as possible. If they had to speak, he kept things brief. He made sure they were never alone, or if they were, he made an excuse and got away from her as fast as he possibly could. Several times, he had actually turned and walked the other way when he'd seen her coming towards him. He never looked at her, unless he really had to. And sometimes, he just had to. He rarely smiled or laughed when she was around. He dated every girl he could, but never remembered to call them. He knew what hell was, but he had no idea how to get out of it. Even Natalia hadn't been able to help him back then.

  And when, just a few months later, Kyle told him they had to leave sooner than he had hoped, but that he still didn't have enough money, Amias had dipped into his own savings and given Kyle two thousand pounds. It had set him back about a year in relation to his own dreams and plans, but Kyle was his best friend, and Cat … Well. Amias would have given Cat the world if he could have done so. But she didn't want the world from him. All Cat Devon wanted was Kyle. And she had got him.

  Except, if what she had said today, about her naivety, her surprise at being pregnant, her doubts and confusion, about not having any idea of what she really wanted or how to get it, were all true then what Kyle had said couldn't have been.

  Had Kyle lied?

  Perhaps Kyle had been the one who wanted a child; the one who wanted to leave Merriment Bay. He had definitely wanted to leave his family. Amias had always known that. Perhaps it had been Kyle's suggestion that he and Cat should run away together. That's certainly what Cat had said today.