He takes a deep breath.“Tony thinks he’s found your birth mum.”
Fifty-Two
Beth
I go still. “What?!”
“We were talking about you the other night. He kept saying that you reminded him of an ex-colleague from one of his old pub jobs, before he moved to London. When I asked what her name was, he said Sarah Chandler.”
My mother’s name was Sarah. I can’t breathe. I lean against the wall.
“Obviously, she’s got married and changed her last name. She lives down in Cornwall. Tony knows her address.”He pauses.“Do you want it?”
“You’re sure it’s her?” I ask, my voice hoarse.
“One hundred percent. She has a private Facebook account, but he’s friends with her. Hang on, I’ll send a picture.”There’s a pause, and then my phone dings. I open the picture message with shaky fingers.
The photo is of a group of people standing behind a bar, posing with their arms around each other, all in matching server uniforms. It’s pretty blurry, but I can clearly make out the woman in the middle of the row. She has red hair pulled up in a ponytail, almost the exact same shade as mine. She barely looks ten years older than me. It has to be her.
“Yeah. Okay.” My hand is shaking. “Shit.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m—happy.” I’m ecstatic. Terrified. Nervous. I feel like I’m about to split out of my skin.“Tell Antonio thank you from me?”
“Sure thing, friend. Listen, I’ve got to get back to work, but text me tonight, yeah? We can talk about it. And you can update me on your new polyamorous found family.”
“They’re not my—”
“You live with your three boyfriends and their kid. Dunno what else you can call that.”There’s some shouting in the background, and he swears.“Sorry, sorry, really have to go. The van’s about to leave. Call me.”
He hangs up before I can respond.
For a second, I just stand there in the middle of the hall, staring at my phone. My ears are full of static. We’ve found my mum. I’ve been looking for her since I was four years old, and now,finally,I can see her again. I look down at the little bracelet glimmering around my wrist.You are my sunshine.
I hear a pop next door, followed by a burst of laughter. Taking a deep breath, I set my jaw and head back into the flat. I feel like I’m in a dream.
The boys are still sprawled on the floor, chatting, but they all stop and look up as I step inside.
“Shit,” Cy says, sitting up. “Bad news?”
I blink hard. “No, no—”
“You sure? Because you look like you’re about to pass out.”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Sebastian stands and wraps an arm around me, leading me gently back down onto the blanket. “You’re shaking, Beth,” he says quietly. “Do you need some water, or something?”
“It’s not bad news,” I repeat. “I just. Um.” I take a deep breath, then turn to Cyrus. “Tony knows my birth mum. Benny just sent me her address.”
They all freeze. For a few seconds, no one says anything.
“Wow,” Cyrus says eventually. “That’s—big.”
“What are you going to do with it?” Jack asks cautiously.
I bite my lip. “I want to go see her.”
Seb’s brow furrows. “Not just write her a letter?”