Chapter 12

"Venus! Phone call! It's a man calling for you."

I was only half awake but that was my mother's voice and she'd called me Venus! It hadn't escaped my notice that in the last week not once had my mother called me Venus! Hang on, she said phone!!

"Venus? Are you the girl who gave me her card when we met in the marina , because the card says 'D Williams'."

Think! It was the man who should have left for Bilbao. "Yes that's me. The cards were a special offer bought over the phone and Vee sounds like Dee." I'm going to hell for that I thought, though it isn't actually a lie.

"I have business delays so can't leave until the beginning of September. Are you free then, to sail with us to Bilbao and stop a further two weeks on the yacht to varnish, polish and generally get her into shape. I can offer………"

It is considered rude by some to talk money but I must share that although I would be paid very little for the sailing it did include 'room-and-board' so to speak and for 2 weeks work in Bilbao I'd earn more than anything I'd earned before with travel expenses home also paid.

Back upstairs I went in to see Litara. No decision had been reached last night but life had to go on and I needed something to wear as my work clothes were in the wash. "I'll give you my decision about Tahiti after lunch but for now will you choose something for me to wear? Pretty please?"

40 minutes later I was peeling potatoes for an early bangers, peas and mash with gravy lunch. We were all going to the nursing home that afternoon to visit Grandpa Joe and we needed time beforehand to talk. Mum looked at me while I stood at the sink… "You really are my daughter aren't you? We had 'a moment' it being impossible to deny, even if I had wanted to, when wearing skinny jeans, a pretty loose white embroidered top, my new sandals and with my hair in a high pony tail, a bit of Litara's mascara, my eye being much improved, and lip gloss.

Washing up done and tea poured there could be no more delay. It was my turn at the fireplace and I first told them about my new job as it would take me away for nearly all of September. Then…

"I've decided to fall in with Litara's plan but only if you all agree and will help me. I'm 18 now and responsible for myself but I can't both do this and leave home. If you don't feel you can accept that I think it best if I don't return to this house when I get back from Spain."

A moment later, Isaac, my Da, stood towering beside me at the fireplace as he put his hands on my shoulders and said for all the world to hear, if they could get in our kitchen…

" You are my daughter Venus. While I have a home you have a home with me as long as you need."

There was a delay while mum, Litara and I repaired the damage incurred in our 'group hug' - an awful expression but their appears to be no synonym. With agreement reached Litara also fired off a series of emails she had pre-written - "We have a lot to fit in before you set sail for Bilbao…, Bilbao?" She quickly typed and sent another email.

It was 3:30 when we got to the nursing home and unusually Grandad Joe was in bed but the smile on his face was a wonder to see. Mum sat beside him holding his left hand and he laid his right hand softly on her cheek - it was clear to see in her the little girl she had described as so desperate to please her daddy.

"Will you introduce me to this lovely young lady?" he asked mum.

"This is my daughter. You knew her as Dai but her name is Venus."

Grandad beckoned me to join him on the other side of the bed. As I leant my head toward him he move his right hand from my mother's cheek to mine and drawing me in kissed my cheek then whispered in my ear

"I've always known and have so looked forward to seeing you." Then he let his head gently drop back into the pillow watching me the whole time until his eyes slowly closed for the last time.