Clarissa wiped the tears from her eyes. ‘Oh, don’t be silly. You shouldn’t be comforting me. I’m not the one who lost a husband.’
‘Yes, but you lost your brother.’
‘But he wasn’t—’
‘I know. He may not have been biologically, but you’d grown up as brother and sister, you always had each other’s backs. It didn’t matter.’
‘Yeah, when he found out, although he was quite shocked, he said just that too, that it didn’t matter what the test said, that he would always be my brother.’
Abigail smiled. That sounded just like Toby. ‘I wish you’d told me sooner, Clarissa.’
‘I’m sorry. I was still quite shocked about it. And then we hadn’t long found out and he … he …’
Abigail’s arm was around her again.
The St. Bernard sat up, looking at them both and whined. Then he licked Clarissa’s face. ‘Eww, no doggy kisses.’ She pushed his muzzle away.
The St. Bernard turned to Abigail.
Abigail’s eyes went wide as he came toward her. ‘Oh, no.’
The dog gave her a doggy kiss, too.
‘Donut – no!’ said Clarissa.
Abigail gave the St. Bernard a hug. He was such a big softie. She turned to Clarissa. ‘Did you call your dog Donut?’
‘Yeah, I’m afraid so.’
Abigail put her hand to her mouth, trying not to laugh. ‘Sorry, but I can’t imagine calling outDonut!’
‘Yep, it is a bit embarrassing. It was the kids’ idea.’
Abigail raised her eyebrows. ‘I bet there’s a story behind that name.’
Clarissa smiled. ‘When we took him to Felixstowe beach for the first time, and we bought some hot donuts from a vendor near the arcades, he stole the bag. He was only a puppy. We hadn’t long had him, and we were arguing over what to call him. When he made off with the bag, not that he got very far, that’s how he got his name, Donut.’
Abigail looked at the big, round shaggy black, white and brown dog. ‘You know, it suits him.’
Clarissa put her arm around the dog and gave him a hug. ‘Yes, I thought so too.’
They both fell silent.
‘Have you spoken to your mum and dad about the test?’
Clarissa shook her head. ‘My mum has her lucid moments. I wish she didn’t, because then she wouldn’t have understood. She wouldn’t be grieving like the rest of us.’
Abigail looked at Clarissa’s tear-streaked face, conscious of the fact that she still hadn’t shed a single tear herself.
Clarissa turned to face Abigail. ‘I haven’t told either of them about the DNA tests. What is the point now? He’s gone.’ Clarissa looked at Abigail wide-eyed. ‘Sorry, that sounded—’
‘You don’t have to apologise.’
‘I just don’t see what good it will do now. It won’t bring him back.’
‘I know.’
‘I suspect it will only upset Mum even more if she realises he knew the truth.’